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Adoptions

Adopted Children Register

Introduction

The Adopted Children Register is a record of all adoptions granted by courts in England and Wales since 1927.

When a court issues an adoption order a new birth entry is made in the Adopted Children Register. This replaces the original birth entry. The order also instructs the General Register Office to ensure the original birth entry is marked ‘adopted’.

The entire process, which includes instructing the registrar who holds the original birth entry, may take up to six weeks. Once this process is completed adoptive parent(s) will receive a free short adoption certificate. To order more copies of full or short certificates, see Certificates.

The Adopted Children Register is not open to public inspection or search.

What if there is a mistake on the Court Order? What needs to be done?
The adoptive parent(s) must contact the Court that dealt with the adoption and request an amended order. Without this a correct entry cannot be made in the Adopted Children Register.