After Adoption: Helping everyone affected by adoption
The first step is to try and get a copy of your original birth certificate and as much information as you can about your early years. People adopted in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have the right to get a copy of their original birth certificate from the age of 18. People adopted in Scotland have the same right when they reach 16.
You can get this through your General Register Office in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Visit www.gro.gov.uk
However, if you were born before 12 November 1975 in England and Wales and 1987 in Northern Ireland and you do not know your birth name; you will have to have a meeting with a social worker before you can get your birth certificate. After Adoption can help with this and offer support and information at all stages throughout the process.
The Adoption Search and Reunion website is also a very useful ‘first port of call’ for anyone thinking about searching or making contact with birth and adopted relatives.Visit www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk. The site can help you locate your original adoption records and give you full contact details to help you with your enquiries.
As soon as you reach 18, you are legally entitled to a copy of your original birth certificate and access to your birth and adoption records. Seeing your birth certificate for the first time can be a very emotional experience and one you may need supporting through. Your adoption records can also give you more idea about why you were placed for adoption and your birth parents circumstances at the time. An Adoption support worker can share this information with you and offer you support should you need it. If you live in an area we work in we can help you with this at every stage of the process. If you don’t live in an area we work in we can put you in touch with a counselling service in your area.
The law states that since 1975, adopted people have the right to apply for information that will enable them to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate. Under Schedule 2 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, adopted people continue to have this right.
Your rights to trace
Under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 you have the right to apply for an intermediary service in order to trace and make contact with your birth family. Adoption support agencies such as After Adoption can undertake this search for you and can provide you with counselling. You are entitled by law to access your birth records and have counselling connected to your adoption, but unfortunately you may have to pay a fee for tracing your birth relatives. We can advise you on the charges if they apply.
Adoption contact registers are another method that adopted people and birth relatives can use to make contact with one another. You can register your details and if a match occurs with a member of your birth family, information is passed on to you as the adopted person. Go to the Contact Register page for more information
Remember, you don’t have to go through the searching process alone!
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