Searching

Linda was incredibly supportive and suggested that I give myself some breathing space before starting the search for Wyn. She also recommended that I make use of the national adoption counselling organisation/charity, Norcap. Still reeling from the bare facts, but consoled by the way in which they had been presented to me, I went home to discuss my new-found knowledge with my husband and son. My husband has always been supportive of anything I have done, and my teenage son showed a maturity and understanding of the situation well beyond his years. Along with Mum and Dad, they understood why I needed to make this journey, and it was clear that they would be there beside me whenever I needed them.

Contacting Norcap was the next step; I became a member and read the literature and advice that was sent to me. I realised that it would be far better to use their intermediary service than to make a direct approach to any member of my birth family myself. Their intermediaries are trained and experienced, and are on hand at all reasonable times to give support. I explained that I had no plans at that time to actually meet my birth mother – all I wanted was to have details of my family medical history. The co-ordinator promised that she would choose my intermediary very carefully with this in mind and I was very fortunate to be allocated Maria, a highly respected Trustee of the organisation. My details were forwarded on to her and as soon as she had familiarised herself with them, she contacted me and we had a really friendly chat. The first thing was to actually locate Wyn, and ensure that she was indeed the right person. Having no knowledge at that time of tracing people – alive or dead – and living some distance from Public Record Offices, I decided that I would employ the services of a Norcap-accredited researcher. I should point out here that no underhand methods are ever used by Norcap – not that I would have had the nerve to agree to them doing that anyway! – and birth families are traced purely from public records, and information in the public domain, eg birth, marriage and death records, and electoral rolls.