how do i find a lost foster bro?

hoxtonchris · Post by **hoxtonchris** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:13 pm

a friend got seperated from her foster bro in childhood,she can recall a few details of him upto the 60s.i have tried to "google" various sites but they were only after cash(take you tantalising close then asking how youd pay)can anyone suggest a good free site?.

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:46 pm

It depends entirely on the nature of the few details. Maybe it's most suitable for the local authority, or for Barnardo's person finding section, or the local paper, or what used to be Somerset House (I'm not sure where births are stored for public access these days - Kew? The Public Record Office? The local Registrar's office - that's probably the one I'm thinking of), or a private investigator.

What sort of "good free site" could there be? It would have to be a confidential enquiry - can you imagine the uproar if details of enquiries like that were open to public search, or if anyone could get information without the consent of the person being sought? That means a good free site would be an enquiry page with no public feedback on results. It would be an organization with internal charity funding like Barnardo's person finding section or the Australian and Canadian orphan emigrant data group, for example, but that's only suitable for maybe one person's search in a thousand. It would certainly have to be an organization with vetted volunteers and more money than most. On the other hand, if the few details available aren't suitable for that kind of enquiry there's places that take "seeking contact with" adverts and have a very wide potential readership over a long period.

kayleneaussie · Post by **kayleneaussie** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:11 pm

hoxtonchris;905618 wrote: a friend got seperated from her foster bro in childhood,she can recall a few details of him upto the 60s.i have tried to "google" various sites but they were only after cash(take you tantalising close then asking how youd pay)can anyone suggest a good free site?.

Chris over here there would be no way you could google a web site to find out that information as its strictly confidential. You could go to the agency she was fostered from and they should still have the records. Have you tried that?

hoxtonchris · Post by **hoxtonchris** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:44 pm

thankyou both for your replies and will try that kay thankyou.

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:52 pm

Geeze Chris,

I think that you might have to hire a private detective to find the missing person. I lost contact with a childhood friend and don't know her married name . I've heard from a friend of a friend that she moved a few towns away from me, but that person has passed away. I think that I might hire an agency.

You can go to a "missing friends site" on the net, but I'm not sure how reliable they would be.

Good luck with your quest.

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:56 pm

If your friend knows even one of the schools he went to, even an early primary school, you've around a one in twenty chance of finding the foster brother immediately on Friends Reunited, that's a pretty good hit rate. More to the point you can ask their year cohort if anyone can pass on a message. It's a Â£10 registration but they're fairly respectable.

hoxtonchris · Post by **hoxtonchris** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:03 pm

Kathy Ellen;905764 wrote: Geeze Chris,

I think that you might have to hire a private detective to find the missing person. I lost contact with a childhood friend and don't know her married name . I've heard from a friend of a friend that she moved a few towns away from me, but that person has passed away. I think that I might hire an agency.

You can go to a "missing friends site" on the net, but I'm not sure how reliable they would be.

Good luck with your quest.thankyou kathy.

hoxtonchris · Post by **hoxtonchris** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:06 pm

spot;905766 wrote: If your friend knows even one of the schools he went to, even an early primary school, you've around a one in twenty chance of finding the foster brother immediately on Friends Reunited, that's a pretty good hit rate. More to the point you can ask their year cohort if anyone can pass on a message. It's a Â£10 registration but they're fairly respectable.thankyou but no schools are known and think you will find they have dropped their charges.wish she did know the school.

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:06 pm

spot;905766 wrote: If your friend knows even one of the schools he went to, even an early primary school, you've around a one in twenty chance of finding the foster brother immediately on Friends Reunited, that's a pretty good hit rate. More to the point you can ask their year cohort if anyone can pass on a message. It's a Â£10 registration but they're fairly respectable.

Yes, that's a great idea Spot. We have a site called "Classmates.com" and it costs about 10 pounds per year. But, your friend has to register there for you to find them. I do belong to this site and have been in touch with some of my childhood friends and have also former sister-in-law ( I still love her:-4) there....so that was exciting:-6

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:10 pm

I've found people before now by knowing their age within a year and their name, searching the national electoral roll. That's another where you'd need a paid registration and you'll not unearth a John Smith that way.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:34 am

The Salvation Army try to find missing people, they may not be able to do the search but they might be able to give you some ideas on how to start looking.