Genealogy Chat

PS Barnardos is UK based, so if his adoption was through them, he must have already been in the UK

I assume you have a copy of his adoption certificate. (There's always the small possibility that he was never adopted) If he is still alive he can request his file from Barnardos. If, however, he has died, the file will be closed unless he wasn't adopted in which case you can get access to the info in his file. There is a cost involved and it isn't the quickest process but I have heard that the info is very good.

I did consider asking Barnardos to see if my Father was fostered through them but decided against as he could have been fostered by any organisation.

oh one more thing,

If you are allowed the adoption file, some contain information, some contain nothing at all.

Its just the luck of the draw

Hey, yeah good site, im a member of the DAP campaign.

The work we are doing is to be allowed access to birth records held by the general registrar office. This is called `Access to birth records` and DOES die with the adoptee.

The GRO hold all the linking information, so once a person has been adopted, their adoption certificate is their birth certificate. However the GRO still keep a copy of the origonal birth certificate with the names of either both or just one biological parent on.

Depeneding on the time scale however their are many members of the DAP campaign who have lost loved ones and then when they have registered their death they need their birth certificate and thats when they have found out that they had been adopted.

This has then caused interest into finding their biological background. The founder of the group found out after her father passed away that he was adopted and she had never been told. Shes now a grand mother herself and is wanting to know her biological background.

The reason im telling you this is because some people in the group have been lucky with regards to the adoption files.

Many, including me have wrote to the court/agencie where the adoption took place. You have to prove the death of the adoptee so must send a death certificate. Some people have been regected some people havnt. It depends on the time scale.

I was going to be allowed the records, unfortunatley at the court where my grandads adoption took place they only existed from 1950, everything before then has been destroyed.

But its worth a try, and if you get no where, why not join the group. All we do is write to our local MP, its only your local MP who has to reply to your letter, if your not their constituat then they dont have to reply at all.

It is backed by BAAF `British association for adoption and fostering` They are helping to change the legislation with a certain government minister who i can give you the details of via PM if you would like them, to add four words to the current legislation `Adoption and childrens act 202` which is being reviewd in the coming year. Which would allow Decendents of deceased adopted persons the right to gain access to the origonal birth certificate via an intermeadiary service, just incase any biological relatives were still alive.

Im not sure if you would be able to buy it now maybe look on e-bay, but their is an article in `Womans` magazine dated 17th october issue, page 16, which has the founder of DAP, Frances Lake and her personal story with details of our campaign.

Good luck again
Kind Regards Rachel

Gillian, although he was born in France, do you think the adoption proceedings would have taken place in the UK? I think Barnardo's is a UK based charity though I could be wrong.

II think as things stand in the UK only the adoptee can access their file. I would contact social services for advice in the first instance, or NORCAP:

norcap.org.uk.

If he is deceased I am not sure what you can do. There seems to be a campaign to make records more accessible. This site might be of interest:

http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk/news/newsitems/dapcampaign.htm

Jan

I am trying to find out how i can gain information about my husbands father. He was born in France 1935 and adopted by a british couple. Maybe by Barnodos but it is proviing to be difficult thru the Barnardos people

Please help

many thanks