Birthlink

What Birthlink does

Birthlink is a Scottish registered charity (SC013007) founded in 1911 and headquartered at 21 Castle Street, Edinburgh, that provides specialist support services for adults affected by adoption and care experience across Scotland. The organization operates three principal service lines — Post Adoption Services, Care Connect Service, and Redress Support Service — alongside the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland (established 1984, 4,800+ registrants), DNA testing, search and mediation services, counselling, and record-access assistance. It is also the designated delivery partner for Scotland's Redress Scheme, supporting survivors of historical abuse in care to retrieve records for their applications.

The organization has no technology platform product; service delivery is conducted via phone helpline (0131 225 6441), in-person at its Edinburgh office, online resources, and two thrift shops on Bruntsfield Place that operate as fundraising retail outlets. Its technology footprint is limited to digital case management systems (under remediation following an April 2021 data breach that destroyed some post-adoption support records and triggered an ICO investigation) and a public website.

Birthlink's revenue model is multi-stream and not-for-profit: (i) government and local authority grants from the Scottish Government and 15+ Scottish councils funding the After Adoption Information Line and Redress Scheme delivery; (ii) charitable donations, legacies, and fundraising events (Edinburgh Kiltwalk, corporate partnerships); (iii) retail revenue from two thrift shops; and (iv) minor unit-priced fees including a £90 DNA testing kit and £9.99 publications. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors chaired by Gaynor Clarke; the organization has no parent entity, no subsidiaries, and no institutional investment or private-equity backing.

Name

Birthlink

Legal name

Birthlink

Website

https://birthlink.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birthlink is a 111-year-old Edinburgh-based Scottish charity providing post-adoption, care-experience, and Redress Scheme support services across Scotland, operating the national Adoption Contact Register and two thrift shops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adoption and Care Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Adoption support services
• Care experienced adults
• Family tracing services
• Post-adoption counselling
• Redress scheme support

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: Birthlink relies on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and supporters. The charity organizes fundraising events, accepts legacies (gifts in wills), and receives funding through the Edinburgh Kiltwalk and other charitable initiatives.
2. Thrift Shop Operations: Birthlink operates two thrift shops in Edinburgh (Bruntsfield Place), selling donated clothing, books, furniture, and other items. These are among the oldest thrift shops in Scotland, generating retail revenue to support services.
3. Government and Local Authority Funding: The After Adoption Information Line is funded by multiple Scottish councils including Perth & Kinross, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, North Ayrshire, Highland, Shetland, Aberdeenshire, Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Angus, Falkirk, Fife, Dumfries & Galloway, Dundee, and the Scottish Government.
4. Redress Service Partnership: Birthlink receives referrals and works as a key delivery partner for Scotland's Redress Scheme, supporting survivors of historical abuse in care to access their records.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Birthlink is a Scottish charity that provides support services to adults affected by adoption and care experience. Its core offerings include the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland, DNA testing, family search and mediation, counselling, records access assistance, and Redress Scheme support for survivors of historical abuse in care. The organization also operates two Edinburgh thrift shops that generate retail revenue to fund charitable services.

Product overview

Birthlink is a small Scottish charity based in Edinburgh providing three main service areas: Care Connect Service, Redress Support Service, and Post Adoption Services. These services collectively support adults affected by adoption with a Scottish connection or those with experience of the care system throughout Scotland. Core offerings include the Adoption Contact Register (established 1984), DNA testing services, search and mediation services, counselling, and record access assistance. Additional services include thrift shops for fundraising, professional forums for practitioners, and educational publications. Birthlink operates primarily through phone, in-person, and online channels without a technology platform product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Care Connect Service Supports adults who have been in care to access information about their personal history, including care records, or to reconnect with family members. Provided in partnership with Future Pathways, Scotland's In Care Survivor Support fund, which is the gateway for access.
• Redress Support Service Key delivery partner of Scotland's Redress Scheme for survivors of historical abuse in care. Supports applicants to access their personal records and provides documentation to support redress claims, served over 100 survivors in the service's first year.
• Post Adoption Services Offers support and advice to adopted adults, birth parents, adoptive parents, birth families, and professionals regarding adoptions with a Scottish connection.
• After Adoption Information Line Phone helpline (0131 225 6441) providing an accessible point of contact for all those seeking information and advice relating to adoption issues affecting adults. Funded by 15+ Scottish councils and the Scottish Government.
• Adoption Contact Register for Scotland National register that enables birth parents, adopted people, and their relatives to place their names for potential matching with an adopted person or family member also seeking reunion. Operated by Birthlink since 1984 with 4,800+ registrations.
• DNA Services DNA testing (£90 testing kit) and emotional support for adopted individuals unable to trace birth family members using traditional genealogy searching. Includes allocation of a social worker to support through the DNA testing process.
• Search Services Experienced and trained volunteer genealogists conduct searches of public records on behalf of service users to trace family members or gather information about birth families.
• Mediation Services Facilitates contact between adopted individuals and birth family members through a third-party intermediary, helping to manage the emotional and sensitive nature of reunions.
• Counselling Service Counselling delivered by trainee counsellors with clinical oversight in line with COSCA guidance. Provides emotional support to individuals navigating adoption-related experiences. Currently paused for new referrals.
• Accessing Records Service Helps service users identify, locate, and access different types of adoption and care records held by Birthlink (as former Guild of Service and Family Care) and other agencies, including via the National Records of Scotland.
• Court Process and National Records Assistance Assistance in locating and accessing legal documents lodged with Sheriff Courts at the time of adoption, including court process papers, and retrieving original birth extracts and adoption certificates archived at the National Records of Scotland.
• Birthlink Thrift Shops Two of the oldest charity thrift shops in Scotland, located on Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh. Sell donated clothing, footwear, handbags, jewellery, books, small electrical items, furniture, and bric-a-brac. Retail revenue supports Birthlink's charitable activities.
• After Adoption Professionals Support Forum (AAPSF) Biannual professional forum hosted by Birthlink inviting professionals from across Scotland to participate in discussions on after adoption practice and receive specialised training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 survivors supported in first year of Redress Service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Future PathwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirthlink works in partnership with Future Pathways, Scotland's In Care Survivor Support fund, to deliver the Care Connect service. Individuals must register with Future Pathways to access Care Connect services including support with care records, family histories, and contacting family members.
• Scotland's Redress SchemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirthlink is a key delivery partner for Scotland's Redress Scheme, operated by the Scottish Government. Birthlink's Redress Support Workers help survivors access their personal records to support their redress applications.
• Invisible CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirthlink partnered with Invisible Cities, a social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become tour guides, to deliver heritage walking tours of Edinburgh.
• National Library of ScotlandcoreOthersThe Birthlink archive is held at the National Library of Scotland. The library holds an earlier deposit under Accession No. 11161. Restricted items require permission from Birthlink prior to visiting.
• National Records of ScotlandcoreTechnology or IntegrationBirthlink works closely with National Records of Scotland to help individuals access adoption records, original birth certificates, and court process documents archived at New Register House, Edinburgh.
• Sheriff Courts (Scotland)coreOthersBirthlink assists individuals in locating and accessing adoption court process documents held by Sheriff Courts across Scotland. Records are archived centrally at National Records of Scotland after certain periods.
• Edinburgh Graduate Theatre GroupminorOthersProfessional actors from Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group provide voices for the 'Dear Miss Stagg' heritage exhibition podcasts, bringing historical case file stories to life.
• Captivate DramaminorOthersDrama group providing actors for the 'Dear Miss Stagg' heritage exhibition audio productions, including Isabella Wood, Naomi Whyte, Ayleigh Bilton, Lucy Holt, Beverley Wright, and Tara Latham.
• Scottish Child Abuse InquiryminorOthersBirthlink supports the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by maintaining records and providing information. Suzanne O'Reilly, a Board Director, deals with requests from the Inquiry as part of her Records Manager role.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Adoption UK: Large UK-wide adoption charity offering peer support, training, and advocacy for adoptive families and adopted people. Comparable in mission (adoption support) but with a much broader national footprint and a stronger focus on adoptive parents rather than birth relatives or adoption-contact matching.
• Barnardo's: Major UK children's charity with historic involvement in adoption and care leaver support. Overlaps with Birthlink's care-experience beneficiary group but at vastly greater scale and with a broader portfolio rather than adoption-contact specialization.
• Coram: Large UK children's charity group including CoramBAAF, which provides adoption-related resources, training, and publications. Comparable in the adoption domain but operates as a broader, multi-service children's charity rather than a specialist post-adoption intermediary.
• The Care Leavers Association: UK-wide charity supporting care leavers, including history and identity work. Comparable to Birthlink's Care Connect Service in mission, but with broader UK coverage rather than Scotland-only.

Direct peers

• After Adoption: UK charity providing post-adoption services, birth records counselling, intermediary/mediation, and search services. Closely comparable service mix to Birthlink's Post Adoption Services and DNA support, and a direct competitor for any cross-border beneficiaries.
• Who Cares? Scotland: Scotland-wide charity advocating for care-experienced children and adults, including access to records and family-tracing support. Comparable to Birthlink's Care Connect Service and redress-related work for care leavers in Scotland.
• PAC-UK (Post Adoption Centre UK): UK-wide specialist charity providing post-adoption support, intermediary services, and counselling for adopted adults, birth relatives, and adopters. Directly comparable to Birthlink's Post Adoption Services, mediation, and counselling offerings, though operating at a UK rather than Scotland-only level.

Emerging players

• Stella Prize Foundation (formerly Stella Association): Charity focused on supporting mothers affected by forced adoption and historic injustice in Scotland, an overlapping beneficiary group with Birthlink's birth-parent and adopted-adult services.

Regional players

• Scottish Adoption: Scotland-focused adoption agency providing adoption support, intermediary services, and post-adoption work. Directly comparable in geography (Scotland-only) and core service mix, including adoption records and intermediary work.

Others

• Future Pathways: Scotland's In Care Survivor Support Fund and Birthlink's Care Connect partner. Not a competitor but a tightly linked funder/partner that determines access to Care Connect, making it a critical ecosystem participant comparable in mission (supporting care-experienced adults) though delivered via a different model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/birthlink100
• Facebookfacebook.com/BirthlinkScot
• Instagraminstagram.com/birthlinkheritage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Birthlink