[flyinb]

Can any of you offer any advice?
My Mother is 75years old and found out last year that she was adopted. Under current UK laws she would be required to go for counsiling. We live in the USA, 40 miles from any town and my mother no longer travels. The records may no longer exist, but it would be nice to trace some family history. I would appreciate any advice,

Thank you

[InionGrinn]

Hmmmm. I would imagine in this day and age, and considering your moms age that phone counseling would be acceptable.
BUT, I guess I don't know your moms situation...can you share a little more info? Was your mom born in the UK and adopted here? Is it your mom's home state that requires counselling or the UK?

[Robin Harritt]

Please note the "UK" is four different countries forming three different legal jurisdictions with regard to family law, adoption and registration issues.

Adoption law in Scotland is very different to that in England & Wales and counselling is not mandatory for those adopted in Scotland since 1930 when legal adoption first began there.

In England & Wales we have a really ridiculous law where anyone adopted between the start of legal adoption on 1 January 1927 and the 12 November 1975 and therefore at least 29 years old, has to have counselling to get their birth records whereas an 18 year old does not. In Scotland 16 year olds are entitled to their OBC without any counselling.

This causes tremendous problems for English adoptees living overseas. I know of one English adoptee in Argentina who was told she must go to the British Consulate in Medellín Columbia, a bit like telling someone in London that they've got to the outback of Nigeria to have counselling and all because some little twit of a civil servant has no idea and thinks South America is about the size of Wales. The government department in England that deals with this is absolutely abysmal but until a few years ago they used to make you go all the way to London no matter where you lived, even if you lived in the outback of Australia.

I hope that throws some light, sorry for the rant and sorry if it isn't really what you want to hear. Some of us tried to get all this changed but with little success unfortunately.

Robin Harritt

http://harritt.net
.

[Robin Harritt]

In my eagerness for a good rant I forgot to ask, does your mother know her original birth family name? If that were the case then I see little point in having the counselling necessary to find that out. There is nothing to prevent her from obtaining her original birth certificate if she knows what name it is in. It can even be obtained online if she was born in Engand or Wales. (not sure about Scotland & N Ireland) The original birth certificate is the starting point to any family tracing. It is unlikely (but not imposible) that any other adoption records survive from that time.


Robin