Access to Adoption Records Act
Encyclopedia
The Access to Adoption Records Act (known before passage as Bill 12), is an Ontario
(Canada) law passed in 2008 regarding the disclosure of information
between parties involved in adoption
s. It is the successor to the 2005 Adoption Information Disclosure Act
, parts of which were struck down in 2007 in a ruling by Judge Edward Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court. The bill passed third reading on May 14, 2008.
The Act's full name is "An Act to amend the Vital Statistics Act in relation to adoption information and to make consequential amendments to the Child and Family Services Act". The most significant provision of the bill was the introduction of a disclosure veto to allow adoptees and birth parents involved in adoptions to prevent the release of their names, which would otherwise be available upon request by any concerned party once the adoptee reaches the age of majority.
In May 2009, the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services
revealed that 2500 people had filed disclosure vetoes between September 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009, with figures split approximately 50-50 between adoptees and birth parents.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
(Canada) law passed in 2008 regarding the disclosure of information
Adoption disclosure
Adoption disclosure refers to the official release of information relating to the legal adoption of a child. Throughout much of the 20th century, many Western countries had legislation intended to prevent adoptees and adoptive families from knowing the identities of birth parents and vice-versa...
between parties involved in adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
s. It is the successor to the 2005 Adoption Information Disclosure Act
Adoption Information Disclosure Act
The Adoption Information Disclosure Act, formally An Act respecting the disclosure of information and records to adopted persons and birth parents, also known as Bill 183, is an Ontario law regarding the disclosure of information between parties involved in adoptions.Passed by the Legislative...
, parts of which were struck down in 2007 in a ruling by Judge Edward Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court. The bill passed third reading on May 14, 2008.
The Act's full name is "An Act to amend the Vital Statistics Act in relation to adoption information and to make consequential amendments to the Child and Family Services Act". The most significant provision of the bill was the introduction of a disclosure veto to allow adoptees and birth parents involved in adoptions to prevent the release of their names, which would otherwise be available upon request by any concerned party once the adoptee reaches the age of majority.
In May 2009, the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ministry of Community and Social Services (Ontario)
The Ministry of Community and Social Services in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for social services such as welfare, and disability insurance and community service programs around issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, spousal support, adoption, and assisted housing for...
revealed that 2500 people had filed disclosure vetoes between September 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009, with figures split approximately 50-50 between adoptees and birth parents.
External links
- COAR (Archived 2009-10-24), Coalition for Open Adoption Records - COAR Ontario (last updated May 2005)
- Full text of Belobaba's decision