Adoption Disclosure
Centred Content
In Ontario, adopted adults and birth parents are able to receive information from birth and adoption records for adoptions that were registered in Ontario.
Children’s Aid Societies provide non-identifying information, that is, information about the adoption with identifying details removed. It may include the:
- date of the adoption
- name of the agency that handled the adoption
- care received prior to the adoption placement
- birth family’s social or medical history
We provide non-identifying information from agency records to the following people:
- Adopted person.
- If the adopted person is deceased, descendants of the adopted person. As part of your request, you will need to provide proof of death (death certificate).
- Birth family member: adopted person’s birth parents and any other person related to a birth parent, including birth grandparent, any birth siblings.
- Adopted parent.
Centred Content
How to Submit Your Request
If you know that the adoption was conducted by Durham Children’s Aid Society, and you wish to receive non-identifying information, please submit your request in writing:
By email:
By mail:
Durham Children’s Aid Society
Attn: Adoption Disclosure
1320 Airport Blvd.
Oshawa, ON, L1J 0C6
To process your request, you will need to provide:
- Photocopy of one piece of identification, such as a birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, or health card.
- Full adopted name.
- Date of birth.
- Adoptive parents’ full names.
- Any birth information you may have, e.g., birth surname.
- Birth relatives must provide the full name of the birth parent(s), their relationship to the adopted person, adoptee’s birth name and date of birth, if known.
Through Service Ontario
If your adoption was finalized in Ontario, adopted adults and birth parents can apply for information at Service Ontario or call Service Ontario toll free at 1-800-461-2156.
Adoptees and their birth relatives can review further options to search for adoption records by contacting Service Ontario. Some additional services include requests for:
- Post-Adoption Birth Information (identifying information)
- Adoption Disclosure Registry (registry for a reunion)
- Obtaining a copy of adoption order
- Filing a disclosure veto for adoption prior to September 1, 2008
- No Contact Notice or Contact Preference
- Request a Severe Medical Search