British Adoption Project 1965-1969

The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) is a registered and inspected Voluntary Adoption Agency and holds the adoption records of people who were adopted as young children through the British Adoption Project. This research based project operated between 1965 and 1969.  53 children were placed in 51 adoptive families through the Project. The children were mainly of black Caribbean, Asian and mixed heritage. Follow up interviews with the adoptive families continued in 1974-75 and in 1980-81. It is envisaged that most of these children will know of their adoption status.

How to access adoption records

Since November 1975 all adopted people over the age of 18 have had the legal right to apply for information to enable them to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate as well as find out which agency had arranged their adoption, and access their adoption records, including information about their origins and family background. Over the years BAAF has received many such requests from people adopted through the British Adoption Project, which we have welcomed.

In December 2005, the Adoption and Children Act 2002 was fully implemented and made some major changes to the adoption legislation. Adopted people continue to have rights to access information about their adoption under the Act, which also gave birth relatives and adopted people the right to request an intermediary service

For more information you can visit the Adoption Search & Reunion website at http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk

Information, advice, support and intermediary services

BAAF can offer adopted adults who were part of the British Adoption Project an intermediary service, which means that we can help you to contact your birth relatives and act on your behalf. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 extended the right to the birth relatives of adopted people, who can also request an intermediary service so that they can be put in touch with their relative who has been adopted.

For other people who were not part of the British Adoption Project, we can provide information and advice on how to access your adoption records, trace birth relatives and details of organisations that can help you more. 

Preventing contact (registering a wish for no contact or a veto)

Adopted adults can now register a wish for ‘no contact’ on the Adoption Contact Register which is held by the Registrar General. However you can also register a Veto – either absolute or qualified with the agency that holds your adoption records, also known as the Appropriate Adoption Agency.  For people adopted through the British Adoption Project, you would need to contact Patricia McGinty at BAAF on the contact details below for further information. Registering a Veto can restrict and or prevent contact from intermediaries acting on behalf of your birth relatives.

For further information about registering a wish for no contact or Vetoes you can also visit the Adoption Search & Reunion website at http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk

For more information

1. Contact:

Patricia McGinty,
Child Placement Consultant
Be My Parent, BAAF
Tel: 0207 421 2661
Email: patricia.mcginty@baaf.org.uk

2. Adoption Search & Reunion website

The Adoption Search & Reunion website, contains a wide range of useful information and guidance on what to do at various stages of your search for adoption records and for your birth parents and other relatives. For further details, please visit: http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk