At one point or another, some adopted children want to learn more about their family of origin or meet them. If that’s true for you, you have the right to know your origins. This right is even covered by Quebec’s Charter of human rights and freedoms! But keep in mind that the law has rules for how to go about getting information about your family of origin or contacting them.
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Important! Different rules might apply for international adoptions and adoptions through an Indigenous custom. A child younger than 14 must have their adoptive parents’ permission to take the steps described in this article. |
In Quebec, you have the right to know that you were adopted. The law says it’s your adoptive parents’ responsibility to tell you this. They must also tell you about the rules for when your identity might be shared and for getting in touch with your family of origin.
You can ask for information about your biological parents. In some cases, it’s even possible for you to meet them if you all want this.
Asking for information about your biological parents
You have the right to know your biological parents’ names. You can also get the names of any grandparents and siblings in your family of origin if they’re 18 or older. In addition, you can get a copy of your original birth certificate, and the court decisions related to your adoption.
You can usually get more information about your biological parents by requesting a summary of your family and medical background. This document may include this information:
- The first and last name that was given to you by your biological parents.
- The date, time and place of your birth.
- The date of your adoption placement.
- Some of your biological parents’ medical information.
- Details about your biological parents including their age, marital status, language, religion, ethnic origin, level of education, occupation, lifestyle, etc.
- Details about your siblings and grandparents, including how many you have, their ages, occupations, lifestyles, etc.
If you’re younger than 18 and your biological parents have asked for their identity to be kept confidential, you may not be given certain information that would identify them. This request to remain anonymous will expire when you turn 18. As of this age, you will be able to find out their names.
To get more specific medical information about your biological parents, you usually need their consent. But if your health or the health of a close relative like your child is at risk, you can get this information without their consent. You must go to court in this situation.
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Important! Are you the child of someone who was adopted and has since passed away? If you’re 14 or older, you have the right to the same information that your parent could have gotten if they were alive. |
How to ask for information about your biological parents or family of origin
You must file an application with the socio-biological research and reunion service for the area where you were adopted. This service is usually offered by Santé Québec (Quebec health) institutions and integrated university health and social services centres (CIUSSS). You must fill out a form called an “Application for Research into Family and Medical Antecedents and Reunions” and provide some information to help locate your file.
To find the contact information for the research and reunion service in your area, check the Quebec government’s website.
Contacting your biological parents or family of origin
You can take certain administrative steps to try and get in touch with your biological parents or family of origin. If they agree, you can get their contact information.
However, your biological parents can refuse contact and add this to the adoption file. If your biological parent can’t be found or is incapacitated and unable to express what they want, they’re considered to have refused contact.
If you don’t want to be in touch with your biological parents or family of origin, you can also refuse contact and add this to your adoption file. If you change your mind, you can remove the refusal of contact from your file at any time.
How to contact your family of origin
First, you must file an application with the socio-biological research and reunion service for the area where you were adopted. You can file this application at the same time as an application for information about your family and medical background or after you’ve already received this information.
When you first ask for information, the research and reunion service will try to find your biological parents or family of origin. If the research and reunion service finds them, the service will then contact them to let them know when you want to get in touch with them. At this point, your biological parents or other members of your family of origin can:
- agree to be in contact with you,
- agree to be in contact under certain conditions,
- refuse contact,
- confirm that they still want to refuse contact if they previously added this request to the adoption file.
If a relative agrees to meet you, the research and reunion service might suggest that a support worker participate in the meeting.
Psychosocial support is available
Socio-biological research and reunion services also offer psychosocial support for these situations:
- Accompanying you in your decision about whether to meet members of your family of origin.
- Acting as a go-between for you and members of your family of origin.
- Helping you prepare to meet them.
- Supporting you if your family of origin can’t be found or you can’t meet them.
In many areas, you can also ask for volunteer accompaniment from the Mouvement Retrouvailles (reunion movement). They can support you through every step of the process related to meeting your family of origin. You can find the contact information for the office in your area by calling the organization’s headquarters at 1-888-646-1060 or by visiting their website.
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For more information Visit the Gouvernement du Québec’s website and the guide on the search for one’s origins for individuals born in Quebec. |