Post-commencement guidance
This page relates to guidance for adoption agencies in England and Wales to support adults adopted on or after 30 December 2005 to access their records.
Information
- Interagency fee
- Anti-racism in adoption
- Adoption legislation & policy
- VAA Vacancies
- Post-commencement guidance
When the Adoption and Children Act 2002 came into force on 30 December 2005, it introduced a number of significant changes regarding the rights of adults adopted as children to access their adoption records. As those who were adopted on or after 30 December 2005 (known as ‘post-commencement adoptions’) turn 18 in ever-increasing numbers, practitioners in both voluntary and statutory agencies must ensure that they are prepared to provide the correct support and services to both adopted adults and their birth relatives.
UPDATE AS OF 27TH NOVEMBER 2025
This page previously held a number of resources for practitioners produced by Julia Feast OBE (Independent Consultant specialising in the life-long issues of adoption, care, and donor conception) on behalf of CVAA. These guidance documents have been temporarily removed for review, as they need to be updated.
In the meantime, please find the most up-to-date information about access to information and intermediary services here:
Adoption: Access to Information and Intermediary Services: A Practice Guide, Julia Feast, Elsbeth Neil, Leonie Jordan and Mary Beek – May 2025.