Adopted people can seek help in accessing their birth records and information about birth relatives and from either the regional adoption agency where they currently live or the agency who was responsible for their adoption at the time. For adopted people who are aware of their birth details, they can order a copy of their original birth certificate from the General Register Office. Adopted people who are unaware of their birth details will need to fill in an application for Birth certificate Information Before Adoption (BIBA) service, more information can be found here.
The Adoption Contact Register exists to help both adopted people and birth relatives connect to one another. It is not a tracing service and for a connection to be made between people, they must both have added themselves to the register.
Adoption England recognises that better support is needed for adopted people.
Improving Adoption Services for Adults (IASA)
Adoption England recognise that better services are needed to support adopted people. The IASA project is being progressed in partnership with the University of East Anglia and PAC-UK to help adopted people maintain relationships and access better support. The project will run until July 2024 to address the needs of adults affected by adoption. There are issues with lack of support for adopted people, such as accessing birth records, intermediary and therapeutic services.
Likewise, services are needed to support birth parents and birth relatives who are affected by adoption. The team will collaborate with experts who have professional experience, alongside adults with lived experience of the impact of an adoption order on their family.
Support with accessing records and contacting birth relatives
Every adopted person over the age of 18 has the legal right to access their birth records. Some adopted people will already have access to their records, depending on the type of adoption that took place and the circumstances surrounding contact with birth relatives, while others will need assistance from their adoption agency in accessing information.
In traditional closed adoptions, access to birth records was typically restricted for both the adoptive parents and the adopted person. Birth records were usually sealed, and identifying information was not readily available to any party involved. Due to such sensitivities, everyone adopted before 12 November 1975 needs to attend a counselling session with an approved adoption advisor before they can access their birth records and information.