Nature of Source
Introduction
Adoption and the search for biological family members presents numerous challenges and complexities. A careful and methodical research process is required. Always approach this research with care and respect and remember some records may be restricted due to privacy concerns, especially for more recent adoptions.
Adopted Children’s Register
The Adopted Children’s Register was established in England and Wales on January 1st, 1927, following the Adoption of Children Act of 1926. In Scotland, the register was established in 1930, followed by Northern Ireland in 1931 and the Republic of Ireland in 1953. The register holds the records of all adoptions legally authorised by a court in England and Wales. It is important to note that the register is held only by the General Register Office and not by Local Register Offices. An entry in the Adopted Children’s Register will only include the adoptive details of an individual, with no links to their corresponding original birth entry and child’s original identity.
Pre-1927 Adoptions
Before 1927, a loose arrangement existed whereby children were in effect privately fostered in secret by the adopted parents, which meant they held no legal rights over the children they cared for. Some documentation may survive if the arrangement involved a solicitor or an organisation, however tracing these arrangements is almost impossible. Most children were fostered due to illegitimacy.
Legal Developments
A situation could arise from the 1926 Act whereby a stepparent (a stepfather or stepmother) wanted to adopt the child of their partner (the child’s biological parent). The law required that the stepparent could only adopt the child if the biological parent also joined the adoption process, meaning the natural parent effectively adopted their own child. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 corrected this anomaly and eliminated the need for the natural parent to formally adopt their own child. The Act also emphasised the need for adoption agencies to prioritise the welfare of the child throughout the adoption process and established the Adoption Contact Register, which allows adopted individuals and birth relatives to express their wishes regarding contact.
Individuals over the age of 18 who were adopted after the 1976 Adoptions Act have the automatic right to discover their birth parents and access their adoption files. Those adopted prior to 1976 also have this right, but must first submit to a course of counselling. Additionally, all relatives and descendants of an adopted person and not just the adoptee and their birth relatives are able to access an intermediary service to identify the person’s birth parents.
Access to Adoption Records
The original birth index entry for adopted individuals is marked as ‘adopted’. However, the only comprehensive register of adoptees is the Adopted Children’s Register, which is subject to restricted access. The adoption certificate serves as a certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register and replaces the original birth certificate for the adoptee. This certificate, available in short or long format, becomes the legal document for official purposes. The short version omits any mention of adoption or the adoptive parents.
Adoption Contact Register
The General Register Office manages the Adoption Contact Register which enables adopted individuals to add themselves to the register to potentially connect with a birth relative, or to indicate that they do not wish to be contacted. Both parties must be registered for a connection to be made.
Adoption Organisations
National Adoption Society (1916-1931)
In 1916 the Reverend Frank Buttle set up his own society called the National Adoption Society. The Society played a key role in the passing of the Adoption of Children Act of 1926 which formalised the adoption process and led to the establishment the Adopted Children’s Register. The organisation has undergone a number of name changes before eventually becoming Childlink. In 2010, Childlink merged with Parents and Children Together (PACT) which operates as an adoption agency. Contact PACT for details on gaining access to the adoption records in their archives. Some National Adoption Society records are held at the London Borough of Brent Archives which holds a collection of files and indexes covering the years from 1916 to 1986. Other records are held in local authority archives.
National Children Adoption Association (1917-1978)
The Association acted as an adoption agency involved in facilitating adoptions. The organisation campaigned for the establishment of strict standards for adoption and for the rights and welfare of children in care and for the legal recognition of adoption. Unfortunately, the first 10,000 files of the association were lost during the Second World War. The remaining records are currently held by the London Borough of Westminster.
Other Adoption Resources
Salvation Army
Since 1885, the Salvation Army has operated a Family Tracing service which is dedicated to reconciling family members who have lost contact with each other. This could include immediate family like parents, siblings, children or extended family members. However, it is important to note the service is not intended for individuals seeking their ‘birth’ families or birth parents of adopted individuals.
Dr Barnardo’s Homes
Many homeless children of destitute parents were cared for at Dr Barnardo’s Homes and later placed with foster parents. The organisation offers the Barnardo’s Making Connections service which is intended for those seeking their own adoption record or for descendants of children cared for by Barnardo’s. The service offers a basic look up search of the Barnardo’s archive plus a full archive package if the name is found with records dating back to the 1870s.
Foundling Hospitals
Foundling hospitals were institutions established to care for children who were abandoned or orphaned. In London, one of the most notable was the Foundling Hospital, established under Royal Charter in 1741 by Captain Thomas Coram, funded by public subscription. The London Archives holds extensive records from London Foundling Hospitals. The most rewarding records include:
- Apprenticeship Registers, covering the years 1751 to 1951. These registers are indexed alphabetically, with most children being apprenticed at the age of 14
- Billet Books
- Petitions for Admission
- Baptism Registers
- Nursery Books
- Inspection Books
- Registers of Children Sent to Country Hospitals
- Registers of Claimed Children
For more details on these valuable sources, refer to The London Archives guide found on the catalogue entry for Foundling Hospital Records.
The Thomas Coram Register
The Thomas Coram Register, held by the General Register Office, is a record of all children given into the care of the Foundling Hospital between the years 1853 and 1948. Captain Thomas Coram established the first Foundling Hospital by Royal Charter in 1741. Until 1948, children admitted to a foundling hospital were baptised and often given new names to prevent a fraudulent attempt to claim the child and to allow a biological mother the possibility of reclaiming her child. Further enquiries about the register and applications for certificates of register entries should, in the first instance, be made with Coram formerly known as the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. Coram hold personal information on former pupils of the Foundling Hospital and their descendants which is available on request. They also offer a counselling service to those who grew up in the care of the Thomas Coram Foundation.
Additionally, some children were placed under the care of the Catholic Children’s Society, which offers the Pathways: Post Adoption & Aftercare service for those seeking adoption related help and advice.
Where Found
General Register Office
The Office is responsible for the Adopted Children’s Register which holds all legal adoptions since 1st January 1927 with has restricted access In addition they hold the Adoption Contact Register which allows adopted individuals to add themselves to the register to make a connection with a birth relative and the Abandoned Children Register which includes abandoned infants whose parentage is unknown, since 1977.
National Records of Scotland
The Registrar General for Scotland has maintained the Adopted Children Register since 1930. It is a register of people who were adopted under orders made by the Scottish courts. They also hold adoption related court records including sheriff courts for Scotland after 1930. Courts usually give the records to the NRS after 25 years.
General Register Office for Northern Ireland
The office holds the Adopted Children Register which contains records of adoptions legally authorised by a court in Northern Ireland as well as the Adoption Contact Register, which allows adopted individuals and their birth relatives to register their willingness to make contact.
County Record Offices
Local archives may hold private papers detailing an adoption and records of adoption societies and agencies and children’s homes or charities involved in arranging adoptions. They may hold court records documenting adoption orders and records from orphanage and children’s homes.
The London Archives
The Archives houses the entire physical archive of the Foundling Hospital from 1739 to 1954. The half-million records detail the lives of the 27,000 children in the Hospital’s care, their mothers’ circumstances and the Hospital’s operation and guiding principles. The Hospital was established by Royal Charter on 17 October 1739 by Thomas Coram as a refuge for abandoned children.
Children’s Society Records and Archive Centre
The Children’s Society Post Adoption and Care Service. The is an ‘Access to Records’ only Service. This involves sharing records with those who were either adopted or in the care of The Children’s Society. The Children’s Society was established in 1881 and originally known as the Waifs and Strays’ Society with The Society had children’s homes throughout England and Wales and provided care and accommodation for impoverished and disadvantaged children.
Hertfordshire Record Office
The archives hold a number of twentieth Century files relating to Foundling Hospital in Berkhamsted which was built in the 1920s and was closely modelled on the original Foundling Hospital in London.
Period Covered
1927 – Onwards
Genealogical Value
Adopted Children Register
Index
- Name of adopted child and date of adoption.
Full Certificate
- Name, sex, place and date of birth of adopted child.
- Names, occupations and address of adoptive parents.
- Date of adoption and name of court.
- The names of the child’s natural parents are not shown regardless if one of the parents is the birth mother or father or the child’s original surname.
Short Certificate
- Name, sex, date of birth and country or district of birth of adopted child.
- The short version makes no mention of an adoption or the parents.
Adoption Order Records
- Child’s new name and former name.
- Names of child’s new parents and child’s address at the time of adoption.
- Natural mother’s name and address.
- Date of adoption.
Further References
- Annal, David & Collins, Audrey. Birth, Marriage and Death Records: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2012
- Bali, Karen. Researching Adoption: An Essential Guide to Tracing Birth Relatives: Family History Partnership, 2015
- Cohen, Deborah, Family Secrets: Living with Shame from the Victorians to the Present Day: Viking, 2013
- Elliott, Sue. Love Child: A Memoir of Adoption, Reunion, Loss and Love: Vermilion, 2005
- Hopwood, Doreen. Adoption Records in England and Wales – a brief guide to Adoption. In: Blatchford, Robert (ed). The Family and Local History Handbook 7: The Genealogical Services Directory, 2003
- Levene, Alysa, Childcare. Health and Mortality at the London Foundling Hospital 1741-1800: Manchester University Press, 2007
- Robinson , Jane. In the Family Way: Illegitimacy Between the Great War and the Swinging Sixties: Viking, 2015
- Rossini, Gill A Social History of Adoption in England and Wales 1850-1961: Pen & Sword Books, 2014
- Stafford, Georgina. Where to Find Adoption Records: British Agencies for Adoption and Counselling, (3rd ed) 2002
Websites
CoramBAAF
The organisation is an independent membership organisation for professionals, foster carers and adopters, and anyone else working with or looking after children in or from care, or adults who have been affected by adoption. It is a successor organisation to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering which merged with Coram in 2015 to form CoramBAAF.
CoramBAAF
How to trace birth family members. Information and advice on how to search for birth relatives if you were adopted or grew up in care.
The Children’s Homes
The website explains how and where to find surviving historical records connected to UK children’s homes and institutions. It also provides guidance on researching historical adoption records with links to relevant resources and related topics like accessing care records.
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
How to find adoption records in the UK. Whether you’re trying to access your own adoption records or tracing an adoption in your family history, Gill Rossini explains the next steps.
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
How to find old orphanage records and records from children’s homes.
Foundling Museum
The Foundling Museum tells the story of the Foundling Hospital which was founded in 1739 to care for babies at risk of abandonment and continues today as Coram. The museum houses everyday objects used in the Foundling Hospital including collection is the identifying tokens left by parents when they surrendered their children to the hospital. Historical archives include documents include admission records, correspondence and reports from the 18th and 19th centuries. Works of art include paintings, drawings, and sculptures.
Foundling Museum
Tracing a Foundling Hospital Pupil. Find support for tracing a former Foundling Hospital pupil, as well as information on other national childcare agencies.
Adoption Search Reunion
The website is intended to be the first port of call for anyone thinking about searching for or making contact with birth and adopted relatives or researching an adoption that took place in the UK. The site is packed with advice on how and where to search for birth and adoption information. The organisation runs the Locating Adoption Records database which can be used to find out where adoption records might be held and search for past and present homes, organisations, local authorities and staff members.
Mother and Baby Homes
The site is devoted to the Mother and Baby Homes which were created to provide support to unmarried pregnant women who often gave their children up for adoption. The first homes appeared in England in 1891 under the guidance of the Salvation Army in London. By 1968 there were a total of 172 known homes for unmarried mothers. The site includes a many helpful resources including help with searching for tracing birth relatives and the details of various organisation dedicated to assisting those affected by adoption
Adopted
How to Find Adoption Records Online. A comprehensive guide to navigating your adoption records and beyond.
WikiTree
Question of the Week: Are there adoptions in your family tree? Were any of your ancestors or relatives adopted? Tell us about them with an answer.
Ancestry Support
Finding Adoption and Orphanage Records. To find information about an adoption, try the strategies outlined in the article.
Ancestry Blog
Researching an adopted ancestor can be challenging but there are steps you can take to learn more about their birth and origins. Ancestry ProGenealogist, Simon Pearce, offers useful guidance and resources from around the world for uncovering these details.
Family Tree
How to find your UK ancestors using adoption records.
Findmypast
How to find adoption and orphanage records. Tracing adopted ancestors or those who spent time in orphanages can be one of the most challenging aspects of family history research. But with the right approach, it’s possible to bring these hidden histories to light.
Who Do You Think You Are? magazine
Discover the poignant stories of thousands of orphaned and abandoned children as the archives of London’s famous Foundling Hospital go online.
Former Children’s Homes
The website is an encyclopaedia dedicated to the history of former children’s homes, orphanages, convalescent homes, cottage homes and related institutions in the UK. It collects and shares information, memories, photographs and personal stories. The site also offers historical lists of institutions and guidance on accessing records.
Hidden Lives Revealed
The site created by The Children’s Society in the UK, focuses on children who were in the care of the Waifs and Strays’ Society (later the Church of England Children’s Society, now The Children’s Society) from the late Victorian period into the 20th century. The site hosts around 200 images showing everyday life in the Society’s homes and roughly 150 anonymised case files as well as historical notes and images for nearly 175 children’s homes.
PAC-UK
FamilyConnect. Obtaining adoption records if you were adopted before 30 December 2005.
The Children’s Society
If you were in our care as a child, or your adoption was supported and arranged by us, we will help you access your records. The service is free.
How To Be Adopted
The history of adoption in England and Wales by Pam Hodgkins MBE. A guide to adoption in England and Wales by adoptee and adoptee rights advocate Pam Hodgkins MBE.
Family Tree Magazine
How to Research Orphaned and Adopted Children in Your Genealogy, by Sunny Jane Morton and Judy G. Russell
NPE Friends Fellowship
The organisation based in the USA raises awareness by providing community and education for those affected by a Non-Paternal Event (NPE) discovery. NPE is a term used in the genealogical community to identify where the assumed parent was proven, through a DNA test, to not be the biological parent.
General Register Office
Customer Guide: Adoption Certificates. What records are available and how to apply for them.
GOV.UK
Adoption records. Official government information on accessing your birth records, The Adoption Contact Register and Intermediary agencies.
Sussex Family History Group
Research Advice & Guides: Adoptions.
Cyndi’s List
The site provides an extensive collection of links to various adoption related resources, including historical records, support groups and research tools.
Birthlink
The charity based in Edinburgh is dedicated to supporting individuals affected by adoption with a Scottish connection or those who have experience with the care system in Scotland. They offer support and advice to adopted adults, birthparents, adoptive parents, birth families and other professionals worldwide. The charity manages Adoption Contact Register, a service that helps facilitate contact between adopted individuals and their birth relatives.
Adoption Contact Register For Scotland
The register, operated by Birthlink, invites adopted people, birth parents and other birth relatives to register their details in the hope that there will be a link allowing future contact whose birth and/or adoption took place in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland
Research Guide. Adoption Records.
Online Databases
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