Prompt Cast
Challenges Faced by Adopted Individuals in Accessing Original Birth Certificates
TLDR Adopted individuals face challenges in accessing their original birth certificates, with different levels of access depending on the state they were born in. While some states offer complete access, others require a court order or only allow access for certain time frames.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This episode discusses the issue of adoption birth certificate access and the challenges faced by adopted individuals in gaining access to their original birth certificates.
01:56
There are different levels of access to original birth certificates for adopted individuals depending on the state they were born in, with some states offering complete access, others requiring a court order, and some only allowing access for certain time frames.
04:02
Amending birth certificates for adopted individuals started in the 1940s to prevent parents from interfering with the adoptive family and to protect the identity of unwed mothers, but norms and practices have changed significantly since then.
06:02
There is a patchwork of laws across states regarding access to original birth certificates for adopted individuals, with some states allowing complete access, others allowing access at age 18, and some enacting new policy changes to favor access.
07:52
Some states have created intermediary services that act as a middle ground for individuals seeking contact with their biological parents, where the service will contact the biological parents and they can choose whether or not to establish a relationship.
09:44
In modern times, it is uncommon for adoptive parents to withhold information about biological parents, with less than one percent of birth parents in some states expressing a desire to not be contacted by their biological child.
11:34
The process of searching for and establishing relationships with biological parents in adoption can be challenging and uncertain, but it is important to remember that these relationships cannot be forced.
Categories:
Society & Culture
