Document - Based Search
When a child is adopted from China, the orphanage, or agency responsible for facilitating such adoptions provides the adoptive parents with numerous documents to finalize the adoption including a Certificate of Abandonment, health reports, immunization records, a finding ad, and sometimes a birth certificate. In addition, the child’s orphanage file contains additional documents such as the Finder’s Report, and sometimes a Police Report. The file may also contain hospital records if the child was ill shortly before or after arriving at the orphanage. Adoptive parents typically have the original documents translated into English, by one or more individuals, and then look for clues in the documents that could point to the identity of the child’s biological parents. This type of search is called a document-based search since it is driven by the legal documents provided to the adoptive family during the adoption process.
Chinese Birth Family
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Document-Based Search
THE TRADITIONAL METHOD FOR LOCATING BIRTH FAMILY MEMBERS
Document - Based Search
Step 1 – Determine if documents provided by the orphanage are reliable.
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Step 2 – Have original documents translated from Chinese into English by at least two translators.
Step 3 – Contact the CCCWA and request copies of the adoptee finder's report and police report.
Step 4 – Use QQ and WeChat to make contact with local residents living near the orphanage.
Step 5 – Build a relationship with orphanage officials and primary caregivers.