New rules for tracing relatives in England and Wales

[Robin Harritt]

From the BBC

New rules for tracing relatives


Parents who put their children up for adoption are to get help tracing them,
under plans unveiled on Thursday.

New Adoption Support Agencies would act as an intermediary service and the
request to make contact, by child and parent, would become a legal right.

The government is consulting on changes to the new Adoption and Children
Bill, which comes into effect next year.

At present intermediary services are available in some parts of the country
but not others.

This is a highly complex and emotive area and it is important that we strike
the right balance
Margaret Hodge

When the new Adoption and Children Bill was first introduced in 2002, it
only made provision for access to information after the Bill comes into
effect, which is expected to happen next summer.

It did not apply to the 875,000 adoptions that have already been made since
the Adoption of Children Act 1926.

Minister for Children Margaret Hodge said: "Originally, we thought that the
huge number of adoptions that have occurred since 1926 would mean the
adoption agencies would be overburdened by applications from people seeking
contact with former birth relatives."

But, following criticism from the Children's Society and other
organisations, the government was forced to reconsider.

Initial surge

Ministers aim to introduce the changes in two stages - the first applying to
adoptions made between 1926 and 1975 and the second all adoptions after that
time.

Ms Hodge said: "The stages recognise that those birth relatives who placed a
child for adoption many years ago and are now elderly, will benefit from
having access to the scheme first."

Officials believe there could be an initial surge of between 20,000 and
30,000 applications.

The scheme recognises that some people have no wish to be traced or to have
their details passed on. That wish for privacy must be respected
Margaret Hodge
If the new legislation goes through, registered ASAs will try and find out
the current identity of a subject, will trace them and will find out if they
would like to be contacted.

Ms Hodge said: "The scheme recognises that some people have no wish to be
traced or to have their details passed on. That wish for privacy must be
respected."

Adoption Support Agencies will not be allowed to disclose any information
without the consent of a subject of an inquiry.

The government will consult on the changes until the end of July.

Last year, the government said that adoption would be made "fairer and
friendlier" with greater support for would-be adopters.

It said it hoped to offer prospective parents stronger support and better
training for their new role.

Children would also be given a bigger say than at present, with their views
made part of the adoption process.

Rest of story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3609927.stm

[Ray Ingham]

Post by Robin Harritt
From the BBC
New rules for tracing relatives
Parents who put their children up for adoption are to get help tracing them,
under plans unveiled on Thursday.
New Adoption Support Agencies would act as an intermediary service and the
request to make contact, by child and parent, would become a legal right.
The government is consulting on changes to the new Adoption and Children
Bill, which comes into effect next year.
At present intermediary services are available in some parts of the country
but not others.
This is a highly complex and emotive area and it is important that we strike
the right balance
Margaret Hodge
When the new Adoption and Children Bill was first introduced in 2002, it
only made provision for access to information after the Bill comes into
effect, which is expected to happen next summer.
It did not apply to the 875,000 adoptions that have already been made since
the Adoption of Children Act 1926.
Minister for Children Margaret Hodge said: "Originally, we thought that the
huge number of adoptions that have occurred since 1926 would mean the
adoption agencies would be overburdened by applications from people seeking
contact with former birth relatives."
But, following criticism from the Children's Society and other
organisations, the government was forced to reconsider.
Initial surge
Ministers aim to introduce the changes in two stages - the first applying to
adoptions made between 1926 and 1975 and the second all adoptions after that
time.
Ms Hodge said: "The stages recognise that those birth relatives who placed a
child for adoption many years ago and are now elderly, will benefit from
having access to the scheme first."
Officials believe there could be an initial surge of between 20,000 and
30,000 applications.
The scheme recognises that some people have no wish to be traced or to have
their details passed on. That wish for privacy must be respected
Margaret Hodge
If the new legislation goes through, registered ASAs will try and find out
the current identity of a subject, will trace them and will find out if they
would like to be contacted.
Ms Hodge said: "The scheme recognises that some people have no wish to be
traced or to have their details passed on. That wish for privacy must be
respected."
Adoption Support Agencies will not be allowed to disclose any information
without the consent of a subject of an inquiry.
The government will consult on the changes until the end of July.
Last year, the government said that adoption would be made "fairer and
friendlier" with greater support for would-be adopters.
It said it hoped to offer prospective parents stronger support and better
training for their new role.
Children would also be given a bigger say than at present, with their views
made part of the adoption process.
Rest of story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3609927.stm

Robin I am surprised at the comments at the end of the BBC article. I was
never told I was adopted and I would hope that it is going to be virtually
impossible to happen in future. Last time I was in Sydney I went into a
library and they had pamphlets about adoption which basically stated "If you
adopt, tell your child he/she has been adopted because at some stage in the
future he/she is likely to be contacted by someone in his/her natural
family". I presume something similar will happen in England. I gather in
Queensland they had a case of parents putting in contact vetoes by writing
to the system and signing it with their adoptive son/daughters name. I
think that is why I dislike contact vetoes because they can be jiggled with.

If you had asked me say twenty years ago about adoption I would have given a
reply about how people shouldn't try to find their natural parents. Firstly
I think I was wrong and secondly I think I was trying to convince myself
rather than whoever asked. I think I read somewhere that a lot of people
start looking when their adoptive parents pass away. I wish I had put more
effort into finding my mum the day I turned 18.
Ray

[Robin Harritt]

Post by Ray Ingham

Post by Robin Harritt
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3609927.stm

Robin I am surprised at the comments at the end of the BBC article. I was
never told I was adopted and I would hope that it is going to be virtually
impossible to happen in future.

Almost everyone who has anything to do with adoption had hoped that, but
unfortunately Jacqui Smith who was minister at the time did not agree as she
showed in the Standing Committee debate. I was very surprised that she did
not get a stronger challenge. My understanding at the moment is that because
there is no obligation for parents to tell kids they are adopted, in future
adoptees are going to receive a letter from the government on or about their
18th birthday telling them that they can have information about their
adoption and their OBC.

Post by Ray Ingham
Last time I was in Sydney I went into a library and they had pamphlets about
adoption which basically stated "If you adopt, tell your child he/she has been
adopted because at some stage in the future he/she is likely to be contacted
by someone in his/her natural family". I presume something similar will
happen in England.

Adopted parents here get that advice when they adopt, but no legal
requirement to tell a child it is adopted.

Post by Ray Ingham
I gather in Queensland they had a case of parents putting in contact vetoes by
writing to the system and signing it with their adoptive son/daughters name.
I think that is why I dislike contact vetoes because they can be jiggled with.

I don't think that will be possible here, but I am concerned that first
contact will still be made with adoptive parents of quite mature adoptees, I
would like to see that changed.

Post by Ray Ingham
If you had asked me say twenty years ago about adoption I would have given a
reply about how people shouldn't try to find their natural parents.

I believe a lot of adopted people were 'propagandised' to think like that in
the past. I had simply assumed quite wrongly that if my birth family wanted
to find me they could.

Post by Ray Ingham
Firstly I think I was wrong and secondly I think I was trying to convince
myself rather than whoever asked. I think I read somewhere that a lot of
people start looking when their adoptive parents pass away. I wish I had put
more effort into finding my mum the day I turned 18.
Ray

For some reason that seems to be the case, a lot of adoptees still see it as
see sort of betrayal, unfortunate as often adoptive parents have information
that is very helpful in searching.




Interesting to see some of the other coverage this has received

Adopted children concerned by new rules
By Nicole Martin
(Filed: 09/04/2004)

An overhaul of adoption legislation that will make it easier for adopted
children and their biological parents to trace each other received a mixed
response yesterday.

Rest of story

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/09/nadop109.xml
&sSheet=/news/2004/04/09/ixhome.html


Birth parents will get right to trace adopted children

John Carvel, social affairs editor
Friday April 9, 2004
The Guardian

Thousands of parents who gave up children for adoption in England will gain
a statutory right to trace them once they become adults, under a change in
the law proposed by the government yesterday.

Adoption support agencies, operating under a strict confidentiality code,
will act as intermediaries in seeking out the adopted adults, to discover
whether or not they would welcome contact with their biological parents.

Rest of story

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1188886,00.html


And the one that I think most shows just how useless the press department at
DfES is, as the same load of rubbish appears in several other papers.

New rules to help children trace birth family

ANGIE BROWN

PLANS to allow thousands of adopted children to track down their birth
parents were unveiled yesterday.

Rest of story http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=401532004

This legislation does not affect Scotland at all, adopted people in Scotland
have always had the right to trace their relatives, adopted people in
England & Wales have had that right for the last 25 years.


Also hopefully people realise this is still at the consultation stage
although the the basic legal framework is there and can't now be changed we
still have some say in how this is implemented. But no doubt we will still
suffer the usual whingeing Pomm syndrome where people will wait until is to
late, then complain.

Robin

[Robin Harritt]

The consultation documents including Feedback Form are now available for
download at

http://www.children.doh.gov.uk/adoption/draftregulations_access.htm

' Draft Regulations and Guidance for Consultation: Access to Information and
the Registrar General's Functions '

Please read these and let the legislators know your views, this is your last
chance, the law is already decided but how it is implemented is still up for
consultation you have until July 31st. Don't be apathetic, don't wait and be
a whingeing Pomm when it's too late, help them get it right now, use the
Feedback Form or write a letter, let you MP know you've written and what
your views are.

Robin

[Robin Harritt]

Post by Robin Harritt
The consultation documents including Feedback Form are now available for
download at
http://www.children.doh.gov.uk/adoption/draftregulations_access.htm
' Draft Regulations and Guidance for Consultation: Access to Information and
the Registrar General's Functions '
Please read these and let the legislators know your views, this is your last
chance, the law is already decided but how it is implemented is still up for
consultation you have until July 31st. Don't be apathetic, don't wait and be
a whingeing Pomm when it's too late, help them get it right now, use the
Feedback Form or write a letter, let you MP know you've written and what
your views are.
Robin

For anyone wanting a wider view of the implications of these proposals, a
selection of press coverage can be linked to from http://access.harritt.net



Robin Harritt

[x***@search26.com]

http://www.ardice.com/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Issues/Adoption_and_Children_Bill/