Adoption Angels: Close Out Procedure

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Adoption_Angels

This procedure applies to any Angel who works with an applicant to discover birth family or build a tree.

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• For Researchers who are only building family trees for applicants, please add this information to the notes section of the spreadsheet for the applicant:

Please add which part of the tree you built out for the applicant (maternal, paternal, or both) and how far you were able to go (such as 2nd great grandparents). And please make a note that the tree is finished so it can be moved to the completed tab.

• For Researchers and Family Finders searching for family, when you have completed a search to the satisfaction of the applicant, please message Emma directly by email. (if you don't have her email, please send a private message to get it).

In your email, please include this information:

1) Name of applicant

2) Link to the application or name as the applicant is listed on the spreadsheet (if different from above).

3) What is the research question you answered?

• Examples:
  • Find the birth father for John Smith
  • Find the birth parents for the father of John Smith

4) What was the conclusion of the research?

• Examples
  • Birth father was identified and confirmed through a half sibling DNA match.
  • Search was closed because John was no longer answering messages after several attempts.
  • Narrowed down the paternal line to the grandparent level. There are 5 brothers who could be the BF.
  • Birth father was identified, but not able to confirm--family won't respond to messages.

5) For birth parent searches, please attach a DNA map (this can also be an image of something you created on paper) or a WATO tree as evidence of your findings (see example DNA maps below). If you want to learn more about how to use WATO (What Are The Odds), post in the project Google group to ask.

The above answers and DNA map will be saved in the application Google group for future use if an application ever needs to be revisited.

DNA Map Examples. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Simple Format DNA Map

Multiple Generation DNA Map

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As you are checking your work by creating the DNA map, ask yourself these important questions:

• Do the relationships match what is expected for the amount of shared DNA? See the Shared cM chart for average expected amounts of DNA. Can you satisfactorily explain any outliers?
• Do you have any DNA groups you can't explain, identify, or place in the tree? This may be a problem and should be resolved.
• Do you have any missing DNA groups you expect to see now that you have identified the family? This may be a problem and should be resolved.

If you need help to resolve any of the three questions above, please ask in the Google group.

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If you were unable to complete the search due to lack of DNA matches, too much endogamy, inability to build trees for the location, etc, tell the applicant what is needed before future progress can be made. Recommend they return when the needed information is available if they would like additional help. To complete the Close Out Report, include notes of what you did for the search and what is needed for future progress. Write enough notes for a future Angel to know where to pick up from. You likely won't need a DNA map in this case.