Family Tracing
Reuniting families
Being reunited - the best start to a new year ever?
Our success rate
Of 85% results in more than 10 people being reunited every single working day.
Our key objectives are
- to relieve the anxiety of enquirers by assuring them of our concern and full support
- to trace relatives in order to advise them a family member desires contact
- to open a line of communication between an enquirer and the person sought
- to act as intermediaries until such time as trust is established between the parties
- where appropriate, to seek to resolve the difficulties which brought about the break
Michael from Surrey lost contact with his family after joining the Army. He tried for years to find his brother Martin, and even hired an investigator - but without success. Michael's wife suggested the Family Tracing Service, but was only able to supply a last-known address used 24 years previously, and an incomplete date of birth.
The Salvation Army's researcher managed to find a birth certificate and from this found Martin in a few weeks. Their first contact was made by phone. The brothers met a few days later and recognised each other instantly despite 25 years apart.
'We had so much to say to each other - it was really good.'
Martin and his daughter visited Michael and his wife for Christmas dinner - the first meal they'd enjoyed together as a reunited family, and a very special occasion.
Buy one get more free
It is often the case that eight or more people will form the reunited family. Therefore, over 20,000 members of family enjoy a restored relationship as a result of enquiries carried out by the Family Tracing Service each year.
Brian remembers waving to his sisters as a small child when they were fostered and he went into a care home. He never saw his sisters until his care worker Betty chatted with him and he shared his background.
Betty suggested The Salvation Army Family Tracing Service could help, and they found his sisters who came to visit just before Christmas. This followed by meeting a niece and nephew they brought to visit too and Brian has visited them at their home in Dumfries.
Brian is more confident now and is exceptionally happy to find he has a whole new family. Now he has plenty of visitors and his sisters telephone every week.
Seperated by many years and countries, as the Salvation Army. Ten people are reunited every day thanks to our Family Tracing service