Personal stories from those with ward or adoption experience
For many years adoption practices throughout the world were dominated by beliefs that secrecy was essential to protect all parties and that birth parents and adopted people did not need information about each other. These beliefs were based on myths––that birth parents would forget their relinquished child, and an adopted person would not seek information or contact with birth parents if they really loved their adoptive parents. It is now universally recognised that adult adopted people have a right to identifying information about their birth relatives. Research and evidence support their need to have information and indicate that disclosure of information does not disrupt otherwise happy adoptive families––rather, it may promote greater understanding between the parties involved.
The personal experiences recorded here are included to give readers an idea of some of the most common perceptions, feelings and outcomes experienced by each party to the adoption process in regard to the issue of information about, or contact with, a birth relative.
- A Victorian State Ward accesses his records
- Adoptive Parents - Phoebe's story
- Birth Relatives
- Children of Adopted Persons
- Personal story - Adopted Person
Contact Information
Family Information Network and Discovery (FIND)
Level 20
570 Bourke Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 8608 5700 or
Local call: 1300 769 926
