Adoption Records in Victoria: How Adult Adoptees and Birth Parents Can Access Information

Victoria has a significant population of adult adoptees — people adopted under the closed adoption practices of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, when it was standard for birth mothers to receive no information about where their child went, and for adoptees to be told nothing about who they were born to. Many thousands of Victorians are affected by this history, and searching for records and biological family is a lifelong journey for many of them.

This guide covers how the records system works in 2026, who can access what information, what changed with the 2022 law reform, and where to get search and support assistance.

Who Manages Victorian Adoption Records?

Adoption Information Services (AIS), operating within the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS), is the central repository for Victorian adoption records. AIS manages:

• The Adoption Information Register
• Requests for original birth certificates
• Identifying information about birth parents and adoptees
• Contact preference registers (which allow people to indicate whether they want to be contacted)
• Veto registers (which allow people to indicate they do not want their information disclosed)

In addition, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) holds the physical records — the original birth registrations that were sealed when adoption orders were made.

What Changed in 2022: The End of Mandatory Counselling

Before the Justice Legislation Amendment Act 2022 took effect, anyone wanting to access adoption records under Section 87 of the Adoption Act 1984 was required to attend pre-access counselling first. The intent was to ensure people were emotionally supported before receiving potentially significant information. In practice, many affected people found it paternalistic — an additional barrier that implied they could not manage their own emotional responses.

The 2022 amendment removed mandatory pre-access counselling. Adults who want to access their adoption records can now do so without first attending counselling. This applies to adult adoptees applying for their original birth certificates, and to birth parents seeking identifying information about a child placed for adoption.

Voluntary counselling support remains available through AIS and community organisations for those who want it — the change simply removes the compulsion.

What an Adult Adoptee Can Access

Original birth certificate. Adult adoptees (aged 18 or over) can apply to BDM for their original birth certificate — the certificate from before the adoption order was made, which shows the birth parents' names. This is a significant right, established in the 1984 Act, that was not available to adoptees in earlier eras.

Identifying information about birth parents. AIS holds records about birth parents that can be requested by adult adoptees. This information may include names, dates of birth, and other identifying details from the time of the adoption.

Non-identifying information. Medical history, cultural background, and general family information that does not reveal identifying details can also be requested and is particularly valuable for adoptees who need their family health history.

Integrated birth certificate. Victoria uniquely offers integrated birth certificates that show both birth parents and adoptive parents on a single legal document. These were introduced to recognise the dual identity of adoptees rather than requiring them to choose between their histories.

What Birth Parents Can Access

Birth parents can also apply for information about the child they placed for adoption, provided the child is now an adult. The same principles apply: identifying information is available through AIS, subject to any veto or contact preference lodged by the adoptee.

Birth parents who placed a child for adoption under coercive historical practices have access to specific support services and advocacy resources through organisations like Relationships Australia and the Victorian Government's historical forced adoption resources.

The Contact Preference and Veto System

The records system is not purely about information access — it is also about contact. People affected by adoption can lodge:

Contact preference. A statement indicating whether you would welcome contact from a biological relative, and if so, whether you want direct contact or to go through an intermediary.

Absolute veto. If a person lodges an absolute veto with AIS, their identifying information cannot be disclosed to another party. An absolute veto can be lodged by an adult adoptee or by a birth parent whose child is now an adult. Vetoes must be renewed periodically and are noted in the register.

The veto system reflects the reality that not everyone affected by adoption wants contact. It protects the rights of people who want privacy while still giving those who do want to search a structured pathway.

VANISH: Victoria's Adoption Search and Support Network

VANISH (the Victorian Adoption Network for Information and Self Help) is the primary community organisation supporting adult adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families navigating the records and reunion process.

VANISH provides:

• Search assistance — practical help with locating biological relatives
• Emotional support — individual support, support groups, and referrals to counselling
• Information about the records access process
• Advocacy on adoption-related policy issues

VANISH was founded in 1989 and has supported thousands of Victorians through the search and reunion process. It is particularly valuable for people who were adopted under historical practices and are navigating records systems that predate modern digital record-keeping.

It is worth noting that VANISH's primary community consists of people who were affected by historical adoption practices — adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who are searching for biological relatives. If you are a prospective adoptive parent in the early stages of your application, VANISH support groups are not the most relevant starting point — they serve a different primary population.

Accessing Records for Historical Adoptions: Practical Steps

If you are an adult adoptee or birth parent searching for records in 2026:

1. Contact AIS (Adoption Information Services) through the Department of Justice and Community Safety for information about what records are held and the access process
2. Apply to BDM for your original birth certificate (for adult adoptees aged 18+)
3. Check the contact preference register to understand whether the person you are searching for has lodged a preference
4. Contact VANISH for search assistance and peer support
5. Consider specialist counselling through Relationships Australia Victoria's Intercountry Adoptee Family Support Service (ICAFSS) if relevant

The passage of time, incomplete historical record-keeping, and the complexity of large families mean that searches are not always successful. Having realistic expectations and good support in place before you begin makes the process more manageable regardless of the outcome.

For prospective adoptive parents learning about the modern Victorian adoption process — including how open adoption works, what birth certificate options are available to children adopted today, and how post-adoption records and contact work — the Victoria Adoption Process Guide covers this in practical terms.

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