Genealogy Chat

Just wondered if anyone on here is registered with Norcap. I'm still trying to find my husband's birth sister who was adopted in 1962. Someone has suggested Norcap but I just wanted to find out exactly what you get for your money as it's £50 to join. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Jenny

whats Norcap thanks

Joan Allen at 'my folks'' is more effective than Norcap! do you have the birth name etc? (Send me a message if it all a bit sensitive for thread) jess

It's a charity that I think helps people who are adopted and those looking for adopted relatives. They can help trace them as far as I know.

Jess We have her birth name and date if birth but thats all. I thought Joan only helped adopted people trace their birth family. Does she also help birth families trace adopted relatives. Thanks Jenny

Guess Norcap is your best bet then as you wont find out her new name very easily. You can put a letter on her adoption file in her pre adoption name , probably best sent to Smedley Hydro - thats where i sent mine , but that was 15 years ago! jess

thanks Jenny one of my nephews was adopted I know his birth date and everything wondered if it was possible to trace him

Hi Jenny,Norcap,do find and they are a goverment business my friend went through them it had happy out come but took an age to get any where them they dont release anything it has to come through a social worker and they take your money in stages £50 to reg than payments for this that and the other in the end it cost abt £200 ,but that was relative looking for adoptee ,may work different for the adopted person,my husband had to go through social worker when he wanted his details,but southport wont release anything unless you are the adoptee or you have put name on reg wanting to be found and the other way round adoptee can have your details be not the other way round. Kay

I'd go back to the Adoption Agency and leave a message that you want contact. You can also leave messages on messages boards ie Lookupuk*com which has an Adoption Section and Adoption Match and Missing-you*net. Channel 4's teletext page 151 but very discreet with wording. Also on your family tree add the sisters original name (doesn't infringe on living relatives details as that person doesn't exist in law). Same with friends reunited if husband's registered you could put a Trying to Find (again for the original name) and/or something in the what are you doing now section. An adopted person usually can't help looking up details of birth mother/father or even their own name. A friend had success when her children found her and each other this way.

I was a member until quite recently. They had different levels of membership i think, i know i didnt pay £50 to join. Maybe its changed. Its not a bad organisation, but i never found the phonelines helpful; when i explained i didnt have my fathers surname, the lady on the phone was v impatient and sighed, 'i dont know what to suggest'. That was a bit disappointing! Theres a lot of articles in their mags about adoption, and if you find a family member, they'll mediate between you. you can access certificates at their wheatley (oxon) office.

message for Jess, i was reading your advice ,whats Joan Allen at 'my folks' is it a web site ?

Hi Yes my folks is a web site www*myfolks*co*uk Its run by joan and as far as im aware she still works along side with debbie. Absolutely brilliant people in everyway.

Hi Jenny, Don't know if I would bother with Norcap myself as I remember reading some of the statistics and they were not that impressive. Joan is brilliant but as even she states on her site she cannot find adoptees, Unlike birth parents you very rarely have acess to their new name) but she is a mine of information and can often help with ideas, most cases of re-unions are normally where both siblings are activley searching for each other so the more messages that you put on the sites the more chance you have of someone coming across them. Have you entered the birth mothers name on your tree so if they enter it they can e-mail you also a message on the ttf board. As Julie mentioned www.lookup(.)com www.missing-you(.)net www.myfolks(.)co.uk also contact the agency that arrnged the adoption to see if she has viewed her records, and ask can you leave a message with her file. Don't give up hope whilst its easier to find birth parents, many on us on this site are living proof that siblings will be re-united some day! :O) Good Luck with your search Sheila

Hi guys, Stay away from Norcap (now known as Norcrap apparently) The chances appear slim to get a match. Joan is your best match. Posting msgs everywhere is a good thing to try. 1. myfolks 2. missing-you dot net 3. genes 4. friends These are all a good a place as ever to leave a msg. I recently reunited a birth mum and her son. mum had placed an msg on missing-you. From there I was able to research quite a bit. It didn't take us long did it Joan? Stay positive and when the time is right things will sort themselves out.