Has your life been touched by adoption? Are you searching for more information? Many people touched by adoption come to a point in their lives when they want to seek more information. The information provided below will help in navigating the various services available related to adoption disclosure in Ontario.

Adoption Disclosure Services provided by the CCAS of Hamilton

The role of children’s aid societies in Ontario is limited to the provision of non-identifying information prepared for adult adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents and eligible birth relatives.

What is Non-Identifying information?

Children’s aid societies are prohibited from releasing information that would identify a birth relative or adoptive parent, such as names, full dates of birth, previous addresses or places of employment. Non-identifying information related to an adoption may include the following:

  • Background information relating to an adopted person’s birth parents, birth siblings and other birth family members. For birth parents requesting this information, a summary about the adoptive family will be provided.
  • The circumstances leading to an adoption placement.
  • Birth history.
  • The care received by the adopted person prior to an adoption placement.
  • The developmental progress of the adopted person.
  • The date of adoption placement and of the adoption finalization in Court.

The information will be provided through copies of documents related to the adoption which are redacted to remove any information that might identify a person other than the person who requested the information.

Who can request Non-Identifying information?

The following persons can request non-identifying information related to an adoption directly from the children’s aid society involved in the adoption:

  • An adopted person who is 18 or older OR who is under 18 but has the written consent of an adoptive parent. An adopted person is a person for whom a final adoption order has been registered with the Registrar General.
  • An adoptive parent.
  • The child of an adopted person if the adopted person is deceased and the child is 18 or older.
  • A birth parent.
  • A birth grandparent which means a parent of one of the adopted person’s birth parents.
  • A birth sibling who is 18 or older.
  • A sibling of a birth parent if the sibling is 18 or older.

How do you request Non-Identifying information?

If you know that an adoption was conducted by the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton and wish to receive non-identifying background information, please contact:

Senta Allen, Adoption Disclosure Worker
Phone: 905-525-2012, ext. 3372
Email: Adoption Disclosure Worker

Adoption Disclosure Services provided by Service Ontario

Service Ontario is the main access point for individuals seeking information related to an adoption in Ontario. For information, please visit their website at www.serviceontario.ca. Service Ontario can also be reached by calling 416-325-8305 or toll-free at 1-800-461-2156.

Please note the following provisions below. 

If your adoption was finalized in Ontario BEFORE September 2008:

  • Adopted adults and birth parents can apply for identifying information from birth and adoption records.
  • If you are an adoptee, this may include identifying information such as your name at birth and the name of one or both of your birth parents.
  • If you are a birth parent, you may learn the name your child was given at the time of adoption.
  • Adopted adults and birth parents can file a disclosure veto if they do not want their identifying information released.
  • Adopted adults and birth parents can file a no contact notice if they are not interested in filing a disclosure veto but prefer not to be contacted once their identifying information has been released.
  • Adopted adults and birth parents interested in contact can file a contact preference specifying how they wish to be contacted once their identifying information has been released.

If your adoption was finalized in Ontario AFTER September 2008:

If your adoption was finalized after September 2008, the same provisions apply as noted above with the exception of the disclosure veto. Disclosure vetoes do not apply to adoptions which were finalized as of September 1, 2008.

Other types of adoption information and services available:

Adults, birth parents, adoptive parents and birth relatives can also apply for other types of adoption information and services from Service Ontario, which include:

      • Severe Medical Searches for birth family of an ill adopted person
      • Placing a Name on the Adoption Disclosure Register to search for a birth relative or child placed for adoption
      • Copies of Adoption Orders