I've just found out that I was adopted, can you help? YES

Most likely how you found out you were adopted and what you want to do with this new knowledge, will be of utmost importance to you at this moment in your life. We suggest that you speak to an organisations that offers post adoption advice. We have leaflets which identify organisations nearest to you who can help. Also see What is their address for further details.

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I would like to talk to someone at NEPAS but don't want you to contact me at home

We would never contact anyone without his or her expressed permission. Like other post adoption services, we realise some people who contact us have not told other members of their family about their adoption background. Therefore, we ask anyone leaving a message to state that we can call you back or NEPAS will wait for you to contact us again. We would never put you confidentiality in jeopardy. Also our telephone number can not be retrieved through the 1471 facility.

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Do I have to identify myself?

No. With NEPAS you can remain completely anonymous. It is entirely your choice. The only thing we will ask you to share with us is your age, because most of the things you are able to do are dependent on when you were born.

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I live in the North East but my Adoption happened in another part of the country, could you help?

Yes. But there are variations in law between adoptions which took place in Scotland and those that took place in England and Wales. Good places to start are by contacting the Local Authority where the adoption took place so that you can access information and you can obtain a copy of your original birth certificate. Also libraries hold useful information, for example, Georgina Stafford's book titled 'Birth Records' and published by BAAF is held in many local libraries. This gives you good advice.

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My child was adopted 30 years ago, can I find him/her?

The power of finding any person involved in the Adoption Triangle still lies with the adopted person. But there are things you can do, for example join the Adoption Contact Register or undertake a parallel search (leaving critical clues in crucial places). Also, some local authorities will now provide a service to birth relatives or you can request to add a letter to your child's file. It is a good idea to contact an organisation that offers post adoption advice in your area direct, as individual circumstances vary greatly.

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What is the Adoption Contact Register?

The Adoption Contact Register exists to put adopted people and their birth relatives in touch with one another where this is what they both want. If you would like us to send you the Office for National Statistics Booklets: Information for Adopted People and Their Families, The Adoption Contact Register or Access to birth Records, please contact us.

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What section of the Register do I join ?

Adopted people join Part One of the register.
Birth Parents and other relatives should join part two of the register. If you are an adopted person who is looking for brothers and sisters who were also adopted you will need to join both parts of the register.

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How much does it cost to join the Adoption Contact Register?

It costs £15.00 for an adopted person to place an entry on the register and £30 for an entry made by a birth relative.

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What is their address?

  • In England, the address for the Adoption Contact Register in England is:

    The Registrar General
    The General Register Office
    Adoptions Section, Contact Register
    Smedley Hydro
    Trafalgar Road, Birkdale
    Southport PR8 2HH

  • If you live in Scotland, you should contact:

    Birth Link
    21 Castle Street
    Edinburgh
    EH2 3DN

  • If your adoption took place in Northern Ireland, enquiries should be made to:

    The Registrar General
    Oxford House
    49/55 Chichester Street
    Belfast
    BT1 4HL

  • You can contact NORCAP at:

    NORCAP
    112 Church Road
    Wheatley
    Oxfordshire
    OX33 1LU

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My child was adopted many years ago. Are there people like me who I can talk to?

Yes. There are a growing number of groups/organisations that offer support. NEPAS can help you identify the nearest sources of support to you. In the North East NEPAS runs PALS (Post Adoption Link Service) that puts people who have been affected by adoption in touch with one another.

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I haven't told my partner/kids about a child that was adopted in the past. How shall I tell them?

This is a more frequently asked question than many would think.

Generally it is asked because of some significant change in the personal life of the client, for example following a birth or death, or because someone has reached a certain age. And therefore the reasons are very personal and individual. Again, we suggest that this complicated decision to disclose in a person's life is discussed fully with an organisation (including local authority), which offers post adoption support and advice. This will allow you to firstly share this huge emotional secret in safety and help unburden your many anxieties. It should also help you to make a more informed decision about how to proceed?

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Will my adopted child be able to trace me if I do not contact the agency or Adoption Contact Register?

Although it can be difficult to trace people from old addresses or from birth records a determined person willing to take the time and trouble has a good chance of succeeding. However, most adopted people are aware of the possible difficulties and are careful not to cause any distress or embarrassment. They are very careful and thoughtful if they do decide to make contact. Mostly they will have had the opportunity to talk with a post adoption worker about how their birth parents may feel about being contacted.

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If I want to avoid contact, what should I do ?

At present there is no direct provision for natural parents to register their wish not to be contacted. However, without giving any of your details you can write a letter to your child, perhaps expressing honestly why you do not want to be contacted or explaining some of the details about their adoption and answering questions that adopted people so often wonder about. That letter can be passed on to your son or daughter by an intermediary or placed on their adoption record file.

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At what age can an adopted person gain information about their adoption ?

Currently, an adopted person can obtain a copy of their original birth certificate at the age of 18 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland the minimum age is 16.

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What information will an adopted person receive when they approach Social Services for their birth records ?

Adopted people can obtain a copy of their original birth certificate this will contain: the birth name. The date and place of birth. The mothers name, address and occupation. The name of the person who provided the information to the Register. The fathers name and occupation if the parents were married to each other. Often as not information about the father is not usually recorded unless both parents wanted it to be. An adopted person can also obtain the name of the adoption agency which placed them if they were adopted through an approved agency.

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What do I do if I'm a birth relative of an adopted person, but not their parent?

Birth relatives, particularly brothers and sisters, try and get in touch with family members. As a relative you can join the Adoption Contact Register or contact the Adoption Agency, if one was involved. You should think carefully about the implications of trying to trace and where possible discuss this with the birth mother before hand, as your birth relative may well want contact with their birth mother or father.

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Although I was born in Newcastle my adoption took place in Scotland, What can I do?

Obviously as the North East Region is geographically situated on the boarder between Scotland and England, many adoptions in the past took place between these two countries - adoptions sometimes known as Cross Border Adoptions. As you can imagine this question often arises and we can assure you that you are not alone.

Our advice is to first of all get hold of a copy your full sized birth certificate that will be held by the Registrar where you were born. Then if you were born in a country other than where your adoption took place, for example born in Scotland and adopted in England it will have annotated on it 'Adopted (England)'. Indicating Adopted Scotland - born England.

If you are an adopted person and in a Cross Border Adoption Situation you can join either the Adoption Contact Register England or Birthlink the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland but not both. If you feel that you may be better placed by registering you interest on both sides of the boarder then NORCAP, a voluntary agency runs a register which you can also join which covers membership and matching facilities from all the communities within the United Kingdom.

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"Does NEPAS deal with adoptions?"

No. If you are thinking of becoming an Adoptive Parent/Family we would suggest that, in the first instance, you contact your Local Authority. If you live in North Tyneside telephone (0191) 200 6161 and ask to speak to the family placement duty officer. If you live in Northumberland, telephone enquiries on (01670) 534450. If you live outside these areas telephone the British Agency for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) help line on (0780) 2410663 they can assist you.