How to Show Birth Parents and Institutions on a Genogram (Adoption, Nursing Home, Rehab)

Two newer symbols in GenogramAI help with real family histories. For an adopted or fostered child, select the child and click Add next to Birth parents in the Inspector. Enter what you know (names and years are optional, and you can tick Only one is known), choose to show them small beside the child or collapsed into a BP badge, and click Add birth parents.

Two newer symbols help with real family histories: birth parents for adopted or fostered children, and institutions. Ava was adopted.

Select her, and in the Inspector, click Add next to Birth parents. Enter what you know. Names and years are optional, and you can tick Only one is known.

Show them small, beside the child, or collapse them into a BP badge. Then click Add birth parents. Her birth mother now appears beside Ava, linked to her.

Now Elena, who moved into a nursing home. Select her, and click Link next to Institution. Pick a type, like prison, rehab,

nursing home or AA, or choose Other and type a name. Add the years if you know them. Click Add.

The institution is drawn as a small labeled box, joined to her by a dotted line.

The full genogram tutorial builds a four-generation genogram from a blank canvas in under three minutes. For symbols and notation, see the genogram symbols guide, or read how to make a genogram step by step.