Adoption Disclosure
Resources on Adoption Disclosure and what that means for families.
Adoption Disclosure Services
The provision of adoption disclosure services in Ontario has changed significantly with the proclamation in May 2008 of the Access to Adoption Records Act.
The role of Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County is limited to the provision of non-identifying social and medical histories for adopted persons. If you were placed for adoption through Family and Children’s Services of Renfrew County, and do not have your non-identifying history or you are not certain which Children’s Aid Society was involved in your adoption, please call 613-735-6866.
Adopted adults, a minor adopted person with the written consent of an adoptive parent, adoptive parents, birth parents, birth grandparents, an adult birth sibling of an adopted adult, an adult sibling of birth parents and adult children of deceased adopted adults can apply.
Adopted adults and birth parents also have the option to protect the privacy of their post adoption birth information. Adopted adults and birth parents can:
- file a notice of contact preference to specify how they would like to be contacted
- file a no contact notice if they do not want to be contacted, but are willing to have their identifying information released
- file a disclosure veto if the adoption was finalized before September 1, 2008. This will prevent identifying post adoption birth information from being released.
For additional information regarding filing a disclosure veto, or contact notice preference, please visit the website www.serviceontario.ca or call 1-800-461-2156.
For adopted persons wishing to determine if they are eligible for Indian Status, please contact:
Indian Registrar, Office of the Indian Registrar Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Ottawa ON K1A 0H4
Or, to learn more about the procedures to apply for status, visit the website www.ainc-inac.gc.ca and consult the section: Indian Status: Who is Eligible? The site also has information about First Nations People and the services and benefits that are available to Status Indians.
People who want to get in touch with their birth relatives can add their names to Ontario’s voluntary Adoption Disclosure Register. Please be advised that this is a passive registry, meaning no active search for birth family will be conducted if you register. If a birth family member has also registered, you will simply be provided with their contact information. The Adoption Disclosure Register is maintained by the Custodian of Adoption Information. There is no provision for any form of reunion or supportive adoption disclosure counseling. For more information regarding this service, please visit www.serviceontario.ca or call 1-800-461-2156.
The Custodian of Adoption Information is responsible for conducting severe medical searches. If you were adopted, are the descendant of an adopted person, or are a birth relative of an adopted person and you have a severe mental or physical illness, you may be eligible for a severe medical search. You can also apply if you are an adoptive parent and your adopted child is under 18. A severe medical search is conducted when it is likely to significantly increase the likelihood of diagnosing or treating a severe mental or physical illness. The Custodian of Adoption Information will attempt to locate and contact an adopted adult or a birth family member to get any information that would help.
To learn more about this service, visit the website www.serviceontario.ca or call 1-800-461-2156.
Information has been adapted from www.hamiltoncas.com
