Adoptions
A quick guide to adoption services
Adopted Children Register
The General Register Office maintains a record of adoptions made on the authority of courts in England and Wales in the Adopted Children Register. It is from this Register that adoption certificates are issued.
Overseas adoptions may, in some instances, be registered in the Adopted Children Register.
Certificates from the Adopted Children Register can be applied for online, by telephoning the General Register Office direct on 0845 603 7788.
Access to Birth / Adoption Records
At 18, an adopted person can apply for a certificate of their original birth registration, via the Access to Birth Records service at the General Register Office.
From 30 December 2005 changes to the law will enable birth relatives to also apply for access to an adopted person’s adoption registration. However Access to Adoption Records for birth relatives must be done via Intermediary Agencies.
Adoption Contact Register
Adopted person(s) or birth relatives wishing to make contact with each other can register on the Adoption Contact Register.
From 30 December 2005 applicants have greater choice of registration including the option of no contact.
Preliminaries to adoption
To find out more about adopting a child you will need to contact your Local Authority or Social Services. Alternatively, you can access information online from the Department for Children Schools and Families.
Please choose a topic from the right hand side of the page to read about all these services in greater detail.
