Delaware Adoption Laws

Access to Adoption Records

Obtaining Non-Identifying Information:

Non-identifying information is available to adoptive parents, adopted adults, and birth parents.

Obtaining Identifying Information:

Identifying information will be released with the consent of all parties involved when it is deemed by the agency to be in the adopted adult's best interest or by court order. If there is a medical report that the adopted adult, birth parents, or birth siblings have a genetically transmitted disorder or a family pattern of disease, the agency shall search for the other parties to inform them of the report. An adopted adult age 21 or older who has obtained a copy of his or her original birth certificate may request that a licensed adoption agency assist in locating his or her birth parents, birth siblings, or siblings of the birth parents if the birth parents are deceased.

Obtaining an Original Birth Certificate:

An adopted adult age 21 or older can obtain his or her original birth certificate, if, within the previous 3 years, the birth parents have not filed a written notarized statement with the Department of Health and Social Services Office of Vital Statistics denying the release of identifying information.

Credits: Child Welfare Information Gateway (http://www.childwelfare.gov)