Saskatchewan has introduced new legislation that will make it easier for adults who were adopted and birth parents to get information birth registration information.
As of Jan. 1, information such as the name of listed birth parents, the name of a child at birth, the location of the birth and name of the hospital will be available to adoptees or parents that apply for it. It replaces the requirement to obtain consent when applying for the information. The province announced the changes in February of last year.
“Adoptees, their adoptive families and their birth families have been asking for us to improve access to birth registration information,” Social Services Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor said in a written release. “These changes will help support individuals involved in an adoption in learning more about their history, and even potentially strengthening their connections to their culture and birth family, if this is something they wish to move forward with.”
Adoptees or birth parents still have the option to file a veto preventing the release of identifying information.
Adoptees and birth parents can call 1-800-667-7539 or visit the province’s website to learn more about the changes, access forms for birth registration information or file a veto.
