Adoption Records and Disclosure

Your Adoption Information

If you are a person as listed below, you may ask the agency for non-identifying information related to an adoption:
– An adopted person who is 18 or older or who has the written consent of an adoptive parent.
– 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.
– A birth sibling who is 18 or older.
– A sibling of a birth parent if the sibling is 18 or older.

1) Your Adoption Record
If your adoption took place through Family and Children’s Services of St. Thomas and Elgin (also known as St. Thomas Elgin Children’s Aid Society), please contact our Central Intake Department at 519-631-1492 / toll-free at 1-800-260-6960 or email info@caselgin.on.ca to request * non-identifying birth information.
– Non-identifying information is strictly your own information and will not include the names of birth parents and most of your caregivers. More in-depth information can be requested through Service Ontario as indicated in #3 below.

Whether you phone in, or send us an email, we ask that you refer to the Instructions and complete the two forms below to apply for your Non-Identifying Adoption Information (Adoption Disclosure) through our agency;

2) Updating your Records
If you wish to update your information for the purposes of non-identifying disclosure to a birth relative, please contact our Central Intake Department at 519-631-1492 / toll-free at 1-800-260-6960 or complete the attached SOCIAL HISTORY SHARING INFORMATION.

The completed form can be emailed to info@caselgin.on.ca or printed copies of the form can be mailed, or delivered, to:
Family and Children’s Services of St. Thomas and Elgin
Attn: Adoption Disclosure, 99 Edward Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 1Y8

3) If you are Seeking More Information
If you are seeking more identifying information, such as the names of birth or adoptive parents visit Service Ontario to see instructions on;

applying for identifying birth information, including the names of your birth parent(s)
what to do if you have urgent reasons for your search, such as severe mental or physical illness
adding or removing your name from the Adoption Disclosure Register, and
setting your preferences for contact.

This service is free and if you have any questions, you may call Service Ontario at their toll-free number: 1-800-461-2156.