The UK People Finder Code of Ethics
Reuniting adopted people with their natural relatives or their birth parents again is a sensitive matter, even if it is many years since the events, which caused the adoption or family break-up. Great care is taken not to cause offence or distress to any person, and we are often complimented on the sensitivity and respect with which we conduct our cases. All our work complies with the code of ethics as show below.
1. A responsible attitude is maintained on the principle of disclosure of addresses. Addresses are never disclosed to casual telephone callers or to enquirers using only an e-mail address. Names and addresses are disclosed where we are satisfied that we are dealing with bona fide family or relationship matters, and where we are sure that the search is for genuine family reasons, or connected with an honest and ethical partnership or relationship.
2. People Searches are not undertaken where a legal dispute might be involved, or where the purpose is to chase debt, child maintenance payments, etc.
3. We do not undertake work for persons under the age of 18
4. We will never disclose addresses of person’s known to be in the public eye, even if only in a minor way.
5. Any person can ask to be deleted from our database. There is no charge for this request to be carried out, and thereafter his or her name will not be disclosed to anybody under any circumstances.
6. All the information which we use, whether disclosed or not, is in the public domain, so there is never any question of infringement of privacy rights.
7. Approaches to the subjects of searches are never made in person. Unexpected telephone calls to subjects of searches are also never made, although we may sometimes telephone to follow up a previous letter.
8. Letters are never written to subjects of searches without the client s express approval of a prior draft.
9. Many of our cases involve stories of great human interest. We never disclose details to any of the media without the express approval of both client and subject of the search.
We recognise that we have a duty of confidentiality to our clients, and this takes precedence over any request we may receive from other persons or bodies.