PDFThe decision to search for a birthparent often takes courage and requires adequate preparation. It is important to be clear what your reasons are for searching and how that may impact your birthparent. The search may be quick or may take years to locate the other person. It may also take some time before they are ready to respond to you, and what might happen once you have found them is an unknown. Hence, it is important to prepare yourself by understanding what could happen, by learning of others’ experiences and how they have coped and by ensuring you have adequate support around you to deal with the journey ahead.