The Teenager Who Wants to Search

Wanting to search for a birth family is almost always healthy, so offer to help your teenager.

A two-minute read, three things to try, for ages 13 to 16.

Where to start

Offer to go through it with your teenager, and don’t stand in their way.
Tell your teenager: “I’m glad you’re thinking about this. I’ll help you when you want help.”
Until your teenager can apply for their own records, search together with your adoption support team.

The rest of the tip, and why it works, is in the library.

Sources

GOV.UK, Adoption records (birth records from eighteen in England and Wales); nidirect, Tracing and contacting birth relatives and adopted adults (2025); legislation.gov.uk, Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, section 55; PAC-UK, part of Family Action, adoption and special guardianship support; Adoption UK, Information and Support Line

It goes with

When Your Child Is Working Out Who They Are. For parents whose child has raised a question about who they are, and who weren’t prepared for it.
When They Stop Talking to You. For parents whose teenager hardly talks to them any more.

The first chapter you open here is free to read in full.

Free on this subject

Identity. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
Attachment. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.

The rest of the library

The Parent Book is a library written by therapists: chapters on the situations parents bring to our therapy rooms most often, quick tips for tonight, things to do together, and every sheet to print. One subscription opens all of it, from the day you join.

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If you need help right now

If you or your child is in immediate danger: 999 · Go to your nearest A&E · 24/7.
If either you or your child is in a mental health crisis: NHS 111 · England, Scotland and Wales: call 111 and choose the mental-health option. Northern Ireland: call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 · 24/7.
If your child is under 19 and needs to talk to someone themselves: Childline · 0800 1111 · 24/7 · www.childline.org.uk.
If you are worried that a child is being harmed or is at risk: NSPCC Helpline · 0808 800 5000 · Mon-Fri 10am-4pm by phone; email 11am-4pm, seven days a week. An email sent when the service is closed is not received. · email help@nspcc.org.uk · www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/our-services/nspcc-helpline · If the NSPCC service is closed and the concern cannot wait, call the police on 101. You can also contact the child’s local out-of-hours children’s social care, social work or social services team. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you would prefer to text rather than speak: Shout · Text SHOUT to 85258 · 24/7 · giveusashout.org.
If you or someone you are worried about needs someone to talk to: Samaritans · 116 123 · 24/7 · www.samaritans.org.

If you need help right now

Published by Kensington Square Therapy. Company No. 16707111. Written by therapists registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). This page is not therapy, and not a substitute for professional support. The full library is at theparentbook.com.