Guidance plea on adoption information

British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering has called for
government guidance on what information adoption agencies can and
cannot give to adopted people.

The demand follows a bid by Linda Gunn-Russo in the high court
last week to force adoption agency Nugent Care Society to reveal
information about her adoption in 1948 when she was two years old.
In 1999, the society refused her request to see files containing
information about her adoptive parents and birth mother.

Gunn-Russo is also challenging the Department of Health’s
refusal to review the society’s ruling under the Human Rights Act
1998.

A BAAF spokesperson said guidance would end the current
variations in practice which result from decisions being “left to
the discretion of the agency”.