I Am a Birth Parent, How Can I Make Contact With My Child?

California has a Mutual Consent Program that is administered by either the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) or the licensed California public or private adoption agency that handled the adoption.

With the Mutual Consent Program, a birth parent may complete a Consent for Arranging Contact (AD 902) form and submit it to the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency that handled the adoption.  If the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency receives a consent form from the adult adoptee (18 years of age or older) and one from their birth parent(s), an email address and/or phone number can be disclosed to both parties so they may contact one another.  The law prohibits the CDSS and licensed California adoption agencies from soliciting consents and providing search services for adoptees or birth parents.

If you do not know which licensed California adoption agency handled your child’s adoption, you may mail your Consent for Arranging Contact form to the CDSS at the address below.  We will search our records to determine who maintains your child’s adoption file.  If the CDSS maintains your child’s adoption file, we will process your consent form.  If a licensed California adoption agency maintains your child’s adoption file, we will return your consent form along with the address of the agency, so that you may mail the form directly to them.

California Department of Social Services
Post Permanency Services Unit
744 P Street, M.S. 8-12-521
Sacramento, CA 95814

If your child’s adoption was completed on or after January 1, 1984, read more…