(UK News) Relatives of adopted adults now able to trace family tree

This is great news from the UK. Whether adoptees or those who gave children up for adoption want to reach out and connect, health information about an adoptee’s birth family has long been desired by adopted individuals.  They may want to know whether they have inherited a genetic tendency towards particular health issues and conditions.

Children, grandchildren and other relatives of adopted adults can now trace back through their ancestors’ lives - helping them to unearth their family history, discover more about their medical background and reach out to long-lost relatives under new rules introduced today [24 September 2014]...

For example, those who have lost a parent to cancer or a heart problem will be able to discover whether their grandparents or other birth relatives suffered from the same condition, giving them the chance to seek advice and support.

These rules will come into force by November 2014.  Read more here.

This 2012 document gives you a sense of US Access to Adoption Records – who can access and under what circumstances.  If you know of a more updated version, please post a comment.

This got me curious about whether any US Archives have adoption records that are publicly available?!?!  I learned that Utah law permits public access to adoption records over 100 years old. It also appears that in Oregon, the Oregon Laws published biennially, included reports of adoptions from 1864 through 1919 when the law was repealed.

Does your state archive provide easy access to historic adoption records?

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