My mother was adopted...?

Question

My mother was adopted and she has never looked for her biological parents, but for medical reasons i would like to investigate her biological background. I live in Australia and dont know where to start.

Anyone know how to help...

Answer 1

In Australia - luckily - adoption records are open - and available - once the adoptee has reached the age of 18.

To obtain adoption record information - you must contact the state government adoption department - that she was born.

If she is still alive - she will have to apply for the info - but you could probably request all the documents for her to start that process.

If she has passed away - you - as her daughter - should be able to access the info yourself.

For instance - if she was born in NSW - here is the link with details -

http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/DOCS/STA...

(for other states - google 'adoption' & 'the state she was born' - then look to find info on search and reunion)

I - only tonight - finally got a letter from my bio dad with my family medical history - after 39yrs - and it's an amazing thing to finally have.

It's a hard decision for adoptees to search - they often don't want to upset their adoptive family (although searching doesn't mean you love you a-family any less) - and adoptees also have great fears of rejection - so they sometimes just leave things as they are.

It took me 35 yrs to finally seriously search!!

If you want to know anything about searching - support groups - anything in OZ - just send me an email through my profile.

I wish you and your mum all the very best.

ETA: please ignore Miss-doom-and-gloom.

She's just an adoption agency troll - or an insecure adoptive parent.

Good luck with the search.

Answer 2

the place that she was adopted at maybe asking her adopted parents

Answer 3

Dear Poppet,

Please listen to POSSUM!  

You should search, especially for medical reasons.  Do not listen to anyone telling you not to search.  Good Luck:)

Answer 4

You need to think about this very careful. First speak with an MD and a counselor to better understand the reasons for your curiousity. You will learn that your medical care can be handled very easily and effectively in the absence of this 'medical' information. It's important to be honest about your reasons for search. People are comfortable citing medical history when no MD will suggest that you need to find the information.

If your mother is not deceased, obviously a search would be completely inappropriate and out of the question. It is her information, not yours. If she is deceased, she made the decision about search during her lifetime, now didn't she.  

Answer 5

Go to the authorities