UK adult adoptees: share your experience of reunion with a birth parent

We would like to hear from UK adult adoptees about how they found their reunion with a birth parent.

Published 11 June 2026 114 words
SOCIETY A1
UK adult adoptees: share your experience of reunion with a birth parent

Some adults who were adopted in the UK are sharing their stories about meeting their birth parents again. It can be hard to meet family you have not seen for a long time. Some people have family trauma, which means deep sadness.

The Guardian newspaper wants to hear from more adult adoptees. Did you meet your birth family? Was it hard to make friends with them? Did you get help? How did it change your life with your adoptive parents?

Many babies were taken from their mothers a long time ago. This was because of shame about having a baby outside marriage. Around 185,000 babies were adopted in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976.

Vocabulary

adopted — when parents legally take a child to be their own
reunion — meeting someone again after a long time
trauma — deep sadness or difficult feelings from bad experiences
forge relationships — to create new friendships or connections with people
shame — a bad feeling about something you did

Discussion Questions

  1. What does it mean to meet your birth parent?
  2. Why were babies adopted a long time ago?
  3. Is it easy or hard to meet family after a long time?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

Read the original article