Adoption
certificates
The
adoption certificate is the one that will be required for
all legal purposes such as applying for a passport or
driving licence. This will be issued in the name given
after the adoption.
Postal Applications
To apply for a certificate from the Adopted Children
Register you should write or telephone Adoptions Section at
the address below for an application form and information
about the statutory fees payable.
Office
for National Statistics
General Register Office
Adoptions Section
Trafalgar Road
Southport
PR8 2HH
Telephone: 0151 471 4313
Applications are normally processed within 5 working
days.
Personal Applications
Public
Search Room
ONS
The Family Records Centre
1 Myddleton Street
LONDON EC1R 1UW
The
indexes to the Adopted Children Register are available for
consultation at the above address. The Public Search Room
is open from 08.30 - 16.30 Monday to Friday (closed Public
Holidays).
Visitors
may search the Indexes and make a personal application for
a certificate. Certificates may be either posted out within
3 working days or may be collected on the fourth working
day after the application was accepted.
Personal Application may also be made
at:
Office
for National Statistics
General Register Office
Adoptions Section
Trafalgar Road
Southport
PR8 2HH
Urgent
applications may be made to the above address between the
hours of 09.00 - 16.00 Monday to Friday (closed on Public
Holidays)
Applications are normally processed within 5 working
days.
Please
telephone 0151 471 4313 before attending the Southport
Office.
Applications by telephone
You may
apply for certificates be telephoning the Adoptions Section
on 0151 371 4313. Applications will only be accepted by
credit card (Access, Visa or MasterCard) or by debit card
(Switch or Delta). Applications are normally processed
within 5 days.
Priority Applications
It is
possible to obtain a certificate upon payment of a priority
fee for applications by post, in person or by telephone.
This will guarantee the certificate will be processed
within 1 working day.
Access to original
birth records
If you
were adopted through a court in England and Wales, the 1976
Adoption Act states that you are entitled to find out
information relating to your birth and, if it still exists,
have access to your adoption file.
People
adopted before 12 November 1975 are required to attend a
disclosure interview with an approved adoptions worker such
as social services or a counsellor at the Family Records
Centre or an approved organisation around the world. This
interview is required by law as some parents and adopters
were led to believe that the children being adopted would
never be able to find out their original names or the names
of their parents. These arrangements were made in good
faith and it is important that adopted people who want to
find out more about their origins should understand what it
might mean for them and for others.
People adopted after 11
November 1975 can choose whether or not they wish to see a
counsellor before they are given the information which will
lead to their birth record. They may find it helpful to see
a counsellor who may be able to offer practical help and
guidance as well as discussing any concerns or issues
important to them.
The Adoption Contact
Register
This was
set up in 1991 and allows adopted people and relatives of
adopted people to register their interest in contacting one
another. The register is in two parts: Part 1 for adopted
people and Part II for relatives.
Part 1
Adopted people over the age of 18 years may apply to
be registered on Part I. The General Register Office must
hold a record of the birth.
Part II
Any person who has attained the age of 18 years and
who is related to an adopted person may apply to be
registered on Part II. It is necessary to provide evidence
to satisfy the Registrar General of the relationship to the
adopted person.
The Link
A link is made when a registration on Part I
coincides with a registration in Part II.
The adopted person will be
given the name and address of their relative. The relative
will be informed that their particulars have been passed on
to the adopted person.
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