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Searching for family separated by adoption

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Contacting a family member separated by adoption

Once a person affected by adoption knows the name of natural family members, they may want to contact them. This may include:

Adoption Information Register

The Victorian Adoption Act 1984 requires Adoption Information Services to keep this register. It enables people affected by adoption to connect with others affected, if they wish.

The Adoption Information Register records the details of each applicant and their wishes about contact.

You can:

Begin the process by downloading the application form.

Download the application form

Support from VANISH

Searching for family and making contact can be complex so it can be helpful to access expertise and support from people who understand.

VANISH supports all adults affected by adoption, including adopted people, mothers and fathers separated from their child, and other family members.

As a lived experience-led organisation, VANISH staff often have a relevant personal experience. Alongside search expertise, they can offer understanding and support with empathy and respect.

In response to the inquiry, the Victorian Government committed to an uplift in post-adoption services. Read more about the implementation of the Victorian Government’s response to the inquiry into responses to historical forced adoption in Victoria (the inquiry).

As part of this uplift, the Victorian Government committed to continue funding VANISH from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029 to deliver the following services to assist people with searching for family members:

  1. General post-adoption information and support: general information to clients on adoption issues and available services, including referrals where appropriate.
  2. Family search guidance and support: individual and small group support to people undertaking their own search for biological family.
  3. Direct family search: VANISH support to directly search for and locate biological family for a client, and to provide intermediary support to make first contact where required.

When someone requests either assistance through either Family search guidance and support or Direct family search, VANISH will register their request with the Adoption Information Service and check whether there is any available information to support their search.

You can request support from VANISH by:

Support from Adoption Information Services

Sometimes, Adoption Services will provide support to people to search for family, following that person receiving adoption information.

This is most likely to occur in more complex circumstances.

Adoption Services can also support a person who wishes to confirm that another party to an adoption (e.g. the adopted child-adult, or the natural parent) is still living.

For more information, email adoptionrecords@justice.vic.gov.au

Other support organisations

Other organisations may also offer support to search for family separated by adoption. Relationships Australia Victoria Forced Adoption Support Service provides support on how to search for family members.

Many of the organisations that were adoption agencies in the past now offer support to people affected by past adoption. This includes:

Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Support is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria or Tasmania who have been separated from family, community and culture.

You can seek assistance from Link-Up Victoria to find and be reunited with your family, culture and traditional Country.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria

Sometimes, people affected by adoption will seek information from the Register held by Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) Victoria to assist with their search.

This can be done in two ways:

Information from the Register sought directly from BDM is controlled by the BDM Access Policy. If the information you are seeking is allowed for under this policy, you can apply directly to BDM

If information has not been allowed for under this policy, you can ask the Registrar to review the decision. In doing so, you must specify the reason for wanting to access the information

Adoption Services can also request this information for a person affected by adoption. This information will usually be provided in the form of a letter rather than a certificate.

Apply for information from the BDM Register through Adoption Services using our application form.

Download the application form

Births, Deaths and Marriages in other states and territories

In some states or territories, Births, Deaths and Marriages will provide information from the Register to allow people affected by adoption to search for natural family.

However, they may ask you for a letter from the Adoption Information Service including details of the adoption, and verify that you were entitled to receive this information.

If you are asked for a verification letter, the Adoption Information Service can provide this to you.

Details for each BDM can be found here:

Updated 12 February 2025

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