A paid search is always an option but I personally don’t recommend pursuing this avenue until all other possibilities have been exhausted. If you do choose to hire a paid searcher, I would like to provide you with some guidelines for choosing one.

There are many searchers out there and doing some home work, obtaining references, and educating yourself before making a decision will serve you will. There are many paid search services out there and some are reasonably priced and some are very expensive. Some can get results quickly and some not at all. There are scam artists as well as folks that have no experience with adoption reunion so educating yourself can save you time and grief.

One of the first steps in finding a paid searcher is that you want to take the time to find a reputable searcher. The adoption community is small when it comes to who’s who in the adoption field. Ask a respectable person in the adoption community who is a respectable searcher is in the industry. Ask other triad members who have searched , ask people who have experience with search and reunions, ask adoption industry professionals, search reputable web sites for recommendations, ask searchers who specialize in states other than the one you were born in, or write to your favorite adoption author. You don’t need to go overboard but call around and ask questions. The people in the adoption community care and want to help.

The second suggestion I have is only work with adoption searchers who have experience with adoption searchers and reunion. By following this step you will likely save yourself a lot of money, time, and stress.

The third suggestion that I am going to make is find out the fee. The best searcher fee structure that there is out there is no find non fee. Three may be some upfront fees to cover expenses or paying by the hour or upfront is open ended and not the best option. By doing research and educating yourself you can find a reasonably priced arrangement.

The fourth suggestion I have is shop around. Ask questions. How much will it cost me? How long will it take? What will I have to do? How do we know for sure? Whatever comes to mind. Ask for references. Is there a contract? Can the triad member cancel the contract at any time? If the traid member cancels the contract, is there a fee?

The last suggestion I have is choose a paid searcher that you trust and feel comfortable with. As we have discussed before, searching is an emotional roller coaster and having a seasoned searcher can make a big difference.

If you are searching and wish to pay someone to under take the search for you, I recommend Kinsolving Investigations. Kinsolving has a unbelievable track record, has been in business for as long as I can remember and has helped thousands of triad members complete their searches. For more information on Kinsolving you can visit their website at www.kinsolving.com or send an email to kinsolving@aol.com.