SAAM’s complaint to the Scottish government about short-form birth certificates for adoptees
Update from the Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement (SAAM)
“Many years ago it was brought to my attention on the application of my own passport as an adult adoptee that all was not as it appears for adoptees who have to prove their idenity. 20 years later,and three years of work, research and listening, our correspondence to Rt Hon Angus Robertson MSP, Minister with the portfolio in Scotland for the National Records of Scotland (NRS), has been logged as a stage 2 complaint with the NRS. As the General Register in England appears to have misplaced his complaints process, we have submitted to the GRO Adoption Manger. “ - Fiona Menzies-Henderson, Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement (SAAM)
** Watch the video to understand the complaint **
** Read the complaint in full **
More information from SAAM:
In the UK when you register a birth, you’re issued a free short form birth certificate, and can purchase a full copy of the birth index.
Thanks to #adoptees and @ScottishAAM we have discovered that over the last 98 years the registers across the four nations of the UK have unlawfully dispensed these short form birth certificates on the re-registration of an adopted child to the Adopted Children’s Register (ACR).
The UK has and continues to unlawfully issue adopters a tool to deceive. Our #AdopteeRightsUK campaign asks for 3 main rights:
The right to know, to be informed of the legal process done.
The right to autonomy, to reclaim birth identity and set one’s adoption order aside, as well as duel both birth and adopted identities.
The right to be known, that our legal rights to corporate parents are not severed during the adoption process.
And our governments need to do much better than they currently are.
If you would like to check if you are affected, there is a simple way to check. On every short form birth certificate there is an index number. Simply go to Scotland’sPeople @ScotlandsPeople or the GRO @GRO. If you can trace your birth index YIPPEE! YOU’RE NOT ADOPTED! If you’re unable to find your birth, the chances are you may be adopted.
This practice is historic and may span 98 years of our history.
GOVERNMENTS MUST ACT
We are urging Governments to address the matters with urgency, transparency and accountability.
CALL TO ACTION
We are asking for the public to join us in Restoring Natural Justice.
LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Show your support, write to your MP and MSP. You can use the template of SAAM'S campaign letters, or tell them in your own words. To obtain SAAM’s campaign letters follow this link Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement or email scottishaam@gmail.com
#AdopteeRightsUK
“Nothing About Us, Without Us”