Q1. What records are held in the Adoptions Branch?
Q2. What certificates can be ordered?
Q3. What information do I need to supply?
Q4. Where can I obtain the GRO reference?
Q5. How much do Adoption certificates cost online?
Q6. What is the processing time for certificates?
Q7. How will my certificate(s) be delivered?
Check Order online in general as these FAQs might answer your question.
Q1. What records are held in the Adoptions Branch?
The Adoptions Branch hold the following information:
- Adopted Children Register: The Adoptions Branch maintains the Adopted Children Register (ACR). The Register contains the particulars of adoptions authorised by order of a court in England or Wales on or after 1 January 1927. The only information that is available from the Adopted Children Register is a certificated copy of an entry, which is the equivalent of a birth certificate for an adopted person. For more information see Adopted Children Register.
- Adoption Contact Register: The Adoptions Branch administers the Adoption Contact Register on behalf of the Department of Health. The register is a linking mechanism between an adopted person and their birth relatives, where both parties so wish. For further information see Adoption Contact Register.
Adopted adults (at least 18 years of age) can apply for the access to the information relating to their original birth entry. For further information see Access to Birth Records.
Q2. What certificates can be ordered?
A certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register is the equivalent of a birth certificate for a person who has been adopted. An entry in the Adopted Children Register will only contain the adoptive details of a person and has no information that relates back to the corresponding birth entry. Both full and short adoption certificates can be ordered online.
- Full Certificates: A full certificate is a copy of ACR entry and includes the date of the order and the name of the court as well as the particulars of the adoptive parent(s). Their names cannot be shown on the certificates as though they were the natural parents, even if one of the parents is the birth mother or father.
- Short certificates: A short certificate contains no reference to the fact of adoption and shows only the adoptive name and surname, sex, date of birth and country or district of birth.
The Adoption Acts have varied in their provisions regarding the inclusion of the country and place of birth in an entry. The following information explains the inclusion of country, district and sub district of birth on a full and short certificate.
- Adoption Orders made between 1927 and 1949: Neither the country, district or sub districts are shown on a full certificate as this information is not included in the format of the entry. The country of birth will be shown on a short certificate if it recorded on the Court Order.
- Adoption Orders made between 1950 and March 1959: The country of birth is recorded on both a full and short certificate.
- Adoption Orders made since April 1959: Where a person is born in England or Wales the country, district and sub district is recorded on a full certificate, the country is not recorded on a short certificate. Where a person is born outside England and Wales only the country is recorded on both a full and short certificate.
Q3. What information do I need to supply?
- GRO Index reference not known: you must supply the full details of the person's adoptive name, date of birth and adoptive parent's name(s).
- GRO Index reference supplied: if applying for a certificate of a person under the age of 18, you must supply the full details of the person's adoptive name, date of birth and adoptive parent's name(s). If applying for a certificate of a person over 18 only the adopted name and GRO index reference need be supplied.
Q4. Where can I obtain the GRO reference?
The public indexes to these records are available at Greater Manchester County Record Office, Birmingham Central Library, Bridgend Reference and Information Library and Plymouth Central Library.
These indexes can also be viewed at the National Archives at Kew.
Q5. How much do Adoption certificates cost online?
Q6. What is the processing time for certificates?
- Standard service with GRO reference supplied: order will be despatched within four working days (not including weekends or bank holidays) from receipt by this office.
- Standard service without GRO reference supplied: order will be despatched within five working days (not including weekends or bank holidays) from receipt.
- Priority service: order will be despatched the next working day following receipt of your application, if ordered before 4.00 pm.
Q7. How will my certificate(s) be delivered?
- Standard service with GRO reference supplied: orders will be despatched within four working days (not including weekends or bank holidays) from receipt.
- Standard service without GRO reference supplied: orders will be despatched within five working days (not including weekends or bank holidays) from receipt.
- Priority service: orders will be despatched the next working day following receipt of your application, if ordered before 4.00 pm.
e.g. - applications made after 4pm Monday to Thursday will be treated as the next day's business. This includes the priority service. Applications may be made on a Saturday, but will not be processed until the following Monday.
The date of despatch will be displayed on the basket summary for each order.
