Adoption Records Western Australia: How to Access Your Information

If you were adopted in Western Australia, or if you are a birth parent seeking information about a child placed for adoption, the legal right to access that information has changed substantially over the last twenty years. What was once a system built on secrecy — sealed records, falsified birth certificates, prohibited contact — has shifted toward a model of openness and rights-based access.

Understanding what you can now access, how to request it, and what limits still exist is not always straightforward from the government's website alone. Here is a practical guide.

The Legal Shift: From Closed Records to Open Information

Western Australia's adoption records were historically sealed under the earlier "closed" adoption system, which operated on the theory that a complete legal and social break from birth origins was in the child's best interest. The Adoption Act 1994 (WA) began dismantling that framework. The Adoption Amendment Act 2003 went further, abolishing information vetoes entirely and converting the system to one of presumptive access.

Since January 2005, information vetoes — the legal mechanism that previously allowed parties to block the release of identifying information — have had no legal effect in Western Australia. They were repealed outright. This means that if an older veto exists on your file, it does not prevent you from accessing your information. Birth parents can no longer legally prohibit an adoptee from knowing their identity.

Contact vetoes — a separate mechanism that signaled a person's preference not to be contacted — remained technically in force for existing registrations after June 2003. However, breaching a contact veto has not been a criminal offense in WA since 2012. The state has moved to treat these as signals of preference rather than legal prohibitions. Following the 2024 "Broken Bonds" report, remaining vetoes are being converted into "statements of objection to contact" — which communicate a person's wishes without any threat of legal penalty.

Who Can Access Adoption Records in WA

The Adoption Act 1994 (WA) establishes the following rights of access:

Adopted people aged 18 or over have a legal right to access identifying information about their birth origins. This includes the names, ages, and last known addresses of their birth parents at the time of the adoption, as well as non-identifying information such as medical history, family background, and physical descriptions.

Birth parents can access non-identifying information about the adopted person (with some limitations). They can also register their contact details with the Department of Communities so that the adopted person can find them if they choose to make contact.

Adoptive parents of a child under 18 can access non-identifying information relevant to the child's care and medical history.

Adult siblings and other relatives have more limited rights. The Department of Communities handles these cases individually.

How to Access Your Records

The primary access pathway runs through the Department of Communities' Adoption Services unit, based in Fremantle. In 2023-24, the Department received 240 applications for adoption information and facilitated contact in 67 cases — so the service is active and processing requests regularly.

Identifying information: Contact the Department of Communities' Adoption Services team and make a formal request. They will verify your identity and eligibility, retrieve the file, and arrange a "supported release" if appropriate — meaning a caseworker is present when you receive particularly sensitive or potentially distressing information.

Original birth certificates: Your pre-adoption birth certificate — the one recording your birth name and birth parents — can be obtained through the Department of Communities' authority letter process, which allows you to then apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The authority letter confirms your legal entitlement to access the document.

Non-identifying information: Available without the supported release process. This covers medical history, reasons for adoption, physical descriptions, and general family background.

Medical information: If you need birth family medical history for health reasons, the Department can facilitate access to relevant non-identifying medical information even if you are not yet 18.

The Adoption Information Register

The Department of Communities maintains an Adoption Information Register where parties to an adoption can record their contact preferences, current details, and willingness to exchange information or make contact. Registration is voluntary.

If you are an adoptee and your birth parent has registered, the Department can facilitate an introduction. If your birth parent has not registered, the Department can still conduct a search to locate identifying information if you meet the eligibility requirements.

Birth parents who wish to be found by an adult adoptee can register their current contact details, making it easier for the Department to facilitate contact when the adoptee requests it. This is a practical step that significantly shortens the search timeline.

The Supported Release Process

For records that contain sensitive information — the circumstances of a relinquishment, information about the child's early life, or details about the biological family's situation — the Department offers a supported release. A trained caseworker is present when you receive the documents and can help you process and interpret the information.

This is not mandatory in all cases, but it is strongly encouraged and often arranged as a default for first-time access to original records. If you prefer to receive documents without this support, you can request that arrangement.

Using a Specialist Service: ARCS

The Adoption Research and Counselling Service (ARCS) is an independent, non-profit agency that specializes in search, mediation, and reunion for all parties to an adoption in Western Australia. If you want professional support navigating the search and reunion process — or if you have concerns about how to approach contact after locating a biological family member — ARCS provides counselling and practical assistance.

Relationships Australia WA also operates the Forced Adoption Support Service (FASS) for people affected by historical forced adoption practices, with particular expertise in supporting older adoptees and birth mothers who were subject to the closed adoption system.

What Happens When Contact Is Sensitive

If you locate a birth parent or sibling through the Department's search process but are uncertain how to proceed, the Adoption Information Register's mediation pathway allows the Department to act as an intermediary. They can pass on a message without disclosing your contact details until the other party agrees to exchange information directly.

This staged approach is designed to protect both parties, particularly in cases where the adoption was emotionally difficult, or where significant time has passed without any contact.

Records for People Adopted Before 1995

The Adoption Act 1994 applies to all adoptions that occurred in Western Australia, including those finalized under the earlier legislation. Access to records from closed adoptions — including records from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s — is available under the same framework. The fact that your adoption was sealed at the time does not prevent you from accessing your records now.

For adoptions that were arranged through church or charitable organizations that no longer exist, the Department can often direct you to the relevant archival repository, though the completeness of records from this era varies.

If You Were Adopted From WA but Now Live Elsewhere

Jurisdiction follows where the adoption order was made, not where you currently live. If your adoption order was issued by the Family Court of Western Australia (or its predecessor under earlier legislation), the Department of Communities' Adoption Services unit in WA handles your records request, regardless of where you now reside. You can submit a request by post or contact the team to arrange a remote process.

If you are planning to go through the adoption process in WA and want to understand how records and information access work from an adoptive parent's perspective — including what information you will receive about a placed child's background — the Western Australia Adoption Process Guide covers this in full alongside the step-by-step process documentation.

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