People adopted before 30th December 2005 should read the questions and answers below to find out about your right to access information about your origins.
NB Anyone adopted after 30th December 2005 should apply to the agency that arranged the adoption, rather than the Registrar General, for the information they need to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate. These arrangments changed following the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
What legal rights do adopted people have to access information?
Since 1975 adopted people in England and Wales have had the right to apply for the information to enable them to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate. This gave adopted people aged 18 and over the right to apply to the Registrar General for the information which would enable them to apply for a copy of their original birth certificate and also to find out which agency had arranged their adoption. This legislation was retrospective so it meant that anyone who was adopted before 1975 could also apply for a copy of their birth certificate. In Northern Ireland this right was brought in on 8th December1987. Adopted people in Scotland have always had the right to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate when they reach 16 years of age.
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What information will be on my original birth certificate?
The birth certificate contains the following information:
- the original name of the adopted person
- the name of the birth mother and sometimes the birth father if he was either married to the birth mother at the time of birth or accompanied the birth mother when the child’s birth was registered
- the address of the birth parent(s)
- the place and address of the child’s birth
- in Scotland, the birth certificate also shows the time of birth.
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How much will it cost to obtain a copy of my original birth certificate?
Details of the fees involved in ordering a copy of certificates can be found on the websites of the General Register Offices for England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
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I have heard I need to see an adoption worker/counsellor in order to get this information. Is this true?
If an adopted person does not know any information such as their original birth name or the name of the adoption agency that arranged the adoption, then they should write to the Registrar General to apply for 'Access to birth records'. People adopted before 12th November 1975 in England and Wales and before 8th December 1987 in Northern Ireland who want information about their birth records and who do not already know their birth name (only their adopted name) have to apply to the Registrar General for access to birth records. An appointment is made for the adopted person to meet with an adoption social worker (counsellor) when they will receive the information they need to enable them to apply for their birth certificate. In Scotland it is not necessary for adopted people to have a meeting with an adoption social worker before obtaining a copy of their original birth certificate.
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What happens at this meeting as I don’t think I need counselling?
The word counselling can be misleading and sometimes raises people’s anxieties. Essentially it is a consultation, where information, advice, support and guidance is offered. It is a chance for you to talk to someone who is experienced and can help give you information and advice that you may need. The meeting with an adoption social worker will give you the chance to think about the implications and impact receiving information from your original birth certificate and adoption records may have for you.
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Where do I have to go for this counselling interview/meeting with social worker/to obtain this information?
When you apply to the Registrar General for access to Birth Records they will explain the process. You can go to your local authority, the voluntary agency which arranged your adoption, an Adoption Support Agency or at the General Register Office.
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I was adopted after the 12th November 1975 so do I still have to see an adoption social worker to obtain a copy of my original birth certificate?
No the arrangements are different. If a person was adopted after 12th November 1975 (and before 30th December 2005), the birth records 'Counselling Interview' is optional and adopted people can apply directly for the information which will enable them to apply for a copy of their original birth certificate. However, even when people are not legally required to have a 'Counselling Interview', many adopted people have found it helpful and useful to meet with an adoption social worker.
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Why are there different arrangements?
This is because the counselling appointment was originally included in the Children Act 1975 (and later the Adoption Act 1976) as birth and adoptive families had previously been told that no identifying information would ever be exchanged. What the ‘counselling’ appointment does do is to give you a chance to talk through with an experienced professional your hopes and expectations as well as the implications for yourself and for other people. You will also be able to get advice and information about what further steps you might want to take, if for example, you want to start a search for further information or birth relatives. The appointment is not intended to be a test of you, more a way of helping you think about and explore your options.
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What information will I receive when I meet with the adoption social worker?
When you have your meeting with the adoption worker for the access to birth record 'Counselling Interview' you will receive a form that enables you to apply for your original birth certificate. You will also be given another form which you can send to the court where the adoption order was made. The court can then let you know which adoption agency arranged your adoption so that you can contact them for further information about your family background and adoption. The adoption social worker can also tell you about the role of Adoption Contact Registers and also how to register a veto if you do not wish to be contacted.
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I already know my original birth name so what do I have to do?
If an adopted person already knows their birth name they can apply directly to the Registrar General for a copy of their original birth certificate.
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I have already got a copy of my birth certificate but want to find out more information about my background-how can I do this?
Many adopted people want more information than is contained on the original birth certificate. If this is the case then you should write to the agency that arranged the adoption (that’s if your adoption was not arranged privately) to request access to the adoption records. The amount of information available will vary depending on when the adoption took place and whether records still exist. If there are records available then the adoption agency is usually able to provide the adopted person with information about their family background and the reasons for the adoption. The adoption agency will expect to meet with you to confirm your identity before sharing any information from their records. The section on accessing adoption records provides more information about this.
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I don’t know my original birth name but I have the name of the agency that arranged my adoption?
If you know the name of the agency that arranged your adoption, then you can apply directly to that agency. If you find that the agency that arranged your adoption no longer exists then you can contact the agency that now holds the records. This information can be found using the Locating Adoption Records database.
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