The state government will provide adoptees with a legal birth certificate that recognises their full family history.
Government Services Minister Gabrielle Williams announced that adopted people aged 18 years or older can now access an integrated birth certificate – showing their name at birth and after adoption and listing both their birth and adoptive parents.
Previously, the only legal birth certificate available to them was in their adopted name and listed their adoptive parents exclusively.
The state government said that for many Victorians subject to historical forced adoption practices, the integrated birth certificate will be an important step toward addressing some of the wrongs they experienced.
The reform delivers a key recommendation of the 2021 Parliamentary Inquiry into responses to historical forced adoption in Victoria. Adopted Victorians can now choose a certificate that tells their whole story, with the same legal weight as a standard birth certificate.
Birth certificates are crucial documents, helping Victorians to prove their identity, enrol in education and access essential services.
Victorians affected by past and forced adoption can contact VANISH (Victorian Adoption Network for Information and Self Help) for free and confidential support.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said an integrated birth certificate is more than just a piece of paper – it provides a full recognition of a person’s story
“We know the immense grief and trauma caused by historical forced adoptions continues to be felt by many people, and we want to help to ease this pain,” she said.
Information: bdm.vic.gov.au.
