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Difference between revisions of "Adoption Registries"
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==Society’s attitudes toward adoption have changed over the years== | ==Society’s attitudes toward adoption have changed over the years== | ||
Many adopted people want to know about their biological parents. Many birth mothers want to know how the child they placed for adoption is doing. Many adopted people and birth parents want to meet each another. In BC, the following [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries | Many adopted people want to know about their biological parents. Many birth mothers want to know how the child they placed for adoption is doing. Many adopted people and birth parents want to meet each another. In BC, the following [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries registries] help connect birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children with each other: | ||
*Parents Registry | *Parents Registry | ||
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==[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/post-adoption-openness-registry Post-Adoption Openness Registry]== | ==[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/post-adoption-openness-registry Post-Adoption Openness Registry]== | ||
Many people believe that the adoption of a child shouldn’t end a parent’s relationship with the child. Instead, it should create | Many people believe that the adoption of a child shouldn’t end a parent’s relationship with the child. Instead, it should create an additional relationship with the child’s adoptive family. They believe that a continuing relationship between the child and their birth parents and other birth family members can help the child develop a healthy sense of identity and belonging. The Post-Adoption Openness Registry is meant for birth parents, adoptive parents, and relatives of an adopted child under the age of 19 who want to communicate with each other after the child has been adopted, if no openness agreement was made before the adoption order. There are no fees to register. | ||
==How does the Post-Adoption Openness Registry work?== | ==How does the Post-Adoption Openness Registry work?== | ||
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==[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/adoption-reunion-registry Adoption Reunion Registry]== | ==[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/adoption-reunion-registry Adoption Reunion Registry]== | ||
The Adoption Reunion Registry connects adopted adults with their birth families, if the adoption took place in BC and everyone involved is 19 or over when the connection is made. The Adoption Reunion Registry operates | The Adoption Reunion Registry connects adopted adults with their birth families, if the adoption took place in BC and everyone involved is 19 or over when the connection is made. The Adoption Reunion Registry operates a '''passive registry'''. This means that staff will not help you look for the person you’re trying to find. But in some cases, the registry may perform an active search. | ||
:'''Passive registry''' | :'''Passive registry''' | ||
:If you register and the person you’re looking for also registers for contact with you | :If you register and the person you’re looking for also registers for contact with you through the passive registry, a match is made. Staff will then contact both of you and help you contact each other. Staff will not try to find the person you want to locate. | ||
:'''Active search''' | :'''Active search''' | ||
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==Registering by mail== | ==Registering by mail== | ||
If you’re an adult adoptee or a birth mother, you must mail the following three documents: | If you’re an adult adoptee or a birth mother, you must mail the following three documents to the registry: | ||
*A signed application form | *A signed application form | ||
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If you are requesting an active search, you also need to submit a copy of the original birth registration document and adoption order. You can get these from the Vital Statistics Agency (information on how to get documents from the Vital Statistics Agency is at the end of this script). The original birth certificate and adoption order aren’t needed for a search of the Passive registry. | If you are requesting an active search, you also need to submit a copy of the original birth registration document and adoption order. You can get these from the Vital Statistics Agency (information on how to get documents from the Vital Statistics Agency is at the end of this script). The original birth certificate and adoption order aren’t needed for a search of the Passive registry. | ||
If you’re the birth sibling of an adult adoptee or the biological father or other relative, you must submit other or different documents. For example, if you’re the birth | If you’re the birth sibling of an adult adoptee or the biological father or other relative, you must submit other or different documents. For example, if you’re the birth brother or sister of an adult adoptee (you’re looking for your birth sibling who was adopted), proof of death of the birth parent is required (for example, a copy of the dead birth parent’s death certificate from Vital Statistics). | ||
==What does it cost to register?== | ==What does it cost to register?== | ||
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==How do you get the documents from the Vital Statistics Agency?== | ==How do you get the documents from the Vital Statistics Agency?== | ||
Submit an application form to the Vital Statistics Agency. Its [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events website] has details (call 604.660.2937 in the lower mainland, 250.952.2681 in Greater Victoria, | Submit an application form to the Vital Statistics Agency. Its [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events website] has details (call 604.660.2937 in the lower mainland, 250.952.2681 in Greater Victoria, and 1.800.663.8328 elsewhere in BC). | ||
There’s a $50 fee for copies of the adopted adult’s original birth registration and adoption order. The names of the adoptive parents, and information about them, | There’s a $50 fee for copies of the adopted adult’s original birth registration and adoption order. The names of the adoptive parents, and information about them, will be deleted to protect their privacy. | ||
==What if a birth parent or adopted child doesn’t want to be known or found?== | ==What if a birth parent or adopted child doesn’t want to be known or found?== | ||
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:'''What’s a disclosure veto?''' | :'''What’s a disclosure veto?''' | ||
:A [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/how-to-access-adoption-records disclosure veto] prevents the release of any information on the birth registration or adoption order identifying the person who placed the veto. A disclosure veto also prevents the Adoption Reunion Registry from helping to locate the person who filed the veto. You can place a disclosure veto if you’re a birth parent or adopted person involved in an adoption that occurred before 1996. | :A [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/how-to-access-adoption-records disclosure veto] prevents the release of any information on the birth registration or adoption order identifying the person who placed the veto. A disclosure veto also prevents the Adoption Reunion Registry from helping to locate the person who filed the veto. You can place a disclosure veto on your record if you’re a birth parent or adopted person involved in an adoption that occurred before 1996. | ||
:'''What’s a no-contact declaration?''' | :'''What’s a no-contact declaration?''' | ||
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==More information== | ==More information== | ||
*Check the Ministry of Children & Family Development’s [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/adoption-reunion-registry adoption reunions and registries] and its [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions adoption website] | *Check the Ministry of Children & Family Development’s [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions/adoption-reunions-registries/adoption-reunion-registry adoption reunions and registries] and its [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoptions adoption website]. | ||
*Contact the [https://www.bcadoption.com/ Adoptive Families Association of BC] at | *Contact the [https://www.bcadoption.com/ Adoptive Families Association of BC] at 1.877.236.7807. | ||
[updated | [updated March 2018] | ||
'''The above was last reviewed for accuracy by Adoption and Permanency Branch of MCFD, and edited by John Blois.''' | '''The above was last reviewed for accuracy by Adoption and Permanency Branch of MCFD, and edited by John Blois.''' | ||
