After Adoption: Helping everyone affected by adoption
From December 30, 2005 when the Adoption and Children Act 2002 came into force in England and Wales, birth relatives are entitled to request an intermediary service.
This means you can contact an adoption agency, such as After Adoption, to locate an adopted adult to let them know of your interest for contact. Although there is no equivalent legal right in Scotland, birth relatives can ask for the same sort of help, although agencies vary in how they will approach this.
No identifying information is given and normally services will only be provided for birth relatives where the person is 18 years and over. There may however be a charge for this service. Call our ActionLine for more information on 0800 0 568 578.
Unfortunately it wasn’t until 1975 that the law required adoption agencies to keep their records for at least 75 years. This can mean that some records may be missing or have deteriorated. Documents that were necessary for the court to make an adoption order may have survived. We can advise you more fully on this if you call our ActionLine on 0800 0 568 578.
What happens if the adoption was arranged privately or if I don't remember the name of the agency that placed my child?There is always information enabling links to be made from the person’s birth name to their adoptive name. This information is kept at the General Registrar’s Office. We can assist you with your enquiries - please phone our ActionLine on 0800 0 568 578
Specialist agencies exist, such as the Overseas Adoption Helpline, that can advise about how best you can be helped if your son or daughter was brought to England or Wales for adoption.
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