The British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering is ``very relieved`` that the government has revised its plans to introduce restrictions on access to birth information by adopted adults, writes Katie Leason.
The bill originally included a provision for birth parents to be able to stop their details being passed to their adopted child if they had concerns. This was designed to protect a small number of birth parents at risk, after a man with a personality disorder who threatened to harm his birth mother.
A spokesperson from the department of health said that the bill has been changed following evidence from stakeholders, and that all adopted children will be able to seek out their birth certificate through an adoption agency.
BAAF chief executive Felicity Collier said that there was "considerable consternation" among BAAF’s member agencies at the proposal in the adoption and children bill to remove the automatic right of adopted adults to receive a copy of their original birth certificate.
"This change of heart demonstrates that this government is listening to the views of those directly affected by its proposal and we welcome their commitment to getting this legislation right," she said.
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