or NON-ID
At the time of the adoption, the birthparents (most often the birthmother) were asked to supply basic information concerning her family life, her health, education, hobbies and similar things. This information provides the basis for what is referred to in adoption circles as non-id.
Likewise, adoptive parents supplied similar information to the agencies or lawyers that were handling the adoption.
According to the agencies and lawyers, this information was used to provide a suitable match between adoptive children and their prospective parents.
FL law provides for the release of this information to the adoptive parents and the adopted child when he/she reaches the age of majority. There are no provisions in the state law providing for the release of such information to the natural parents of the child. Each agency or lawyer has their own policy in this regard.
Some agencies or attorneys are more accommodating than others in releasing this information, and there is no set standard for how much information can or will be released. Most agencies and lawyers provide far more information to the adoptee and his or her adoptive parents, than they do to the natural parent(s).
In any case, FL law mandates that no agency or attorney will release information that can be used to identify or locate adoptees, adoptive parents, or birth parents, by another member of the adoption triad, or community at large.
Non-id will include none of the following:
The names of birthparents, adoptees, adoptive parents, or any other family members
No physical street address or phone numbers
No specific place of employment, school, religion or social involvement.
At The Discretion
Of The Agency Or Lawyers Involved
CAUTION: If you use the following list as the basis for your request for non-id, re-word it to fit your own vocabulary, and change the order of your request. The last thing you want an agency or lawyer to think (especially if you are a birthparent) is that you have been coaxed on how to find your family member. Sometimes it is also better to ask these things during the course of several phone calls or letters, rather than right up front. Generally speaking you will get more information if you do not seem to be well prepared. Always ask for more than you expect to get, and remember- there is no guarantee that you will get the answers to any of your questions. Try to find favor with the people you are dealing with and you will walk away with more information.
Some things to ask for (and about)when requesting non-id:
Birthparents:
All records of counseling you received before relinquishment .
Hospital and maternity home records. (or how to get them)
The names of any caseworkers involved in the adoption.
The non-id your child will receive about you.
The first name of the adoptive parents (you probably wont get it)
Your child's first name (you might get lucky on this one or at least be told the initial or the fact that it is "an uncommon name")
Did your child leave the hospital at the same time as you?
Was your child healthy at the time of placement or were there medical or emotional problems?
How long was your child in foster care before being placed with the adoptive family?
Was your child baptized as an infant? (before or after placement?)
Was your child adopted more than once? If so why?
How long after placement was it until your child was legally adopted?
Where was the adoption finalized and when?
How long were adoptive parents married before the adoption?
Was either previously married?
Is it known if they divorced after the adoption?
If so how old was your child when this happened.
How long had the adopted parents been trying to adopt before getting your child?
What was the reason they gave for adoption?
Did either adoptive parent have children before the adoption.
(Were they natural children or adopted?)
(What were the ages and gender of the other children in the home)
Did this family adopt other children after adopting your child?
(How many and gender)
Did they have an extended family (would your child have aunts, uncles, grandparents etc)
is it known if they planned on telling your child that he/her were adopted.
Is it known if this was done, and if so at what age?
How old were the adoptive parents?
Non-identifying physical information such as coloring, race, culture, ethnicity ,height or weight distinctions.
What were the hobbies, interests, schooling levels, occupations, political and community involvement's, religion.
Did they belong to social organizations or clubs?
What area of the country was there normal residence.
How many home visits occurred before the adoption was final.
Summary of the home visit reports.
Is there any medical, emotional or developmental history on the child.
When was the last contact with the adoptive family.
Was your child kept in state after the adoption?
Has any new information been added to the file since you terminated rights or the adoption was finalized. If so what and by whom?
Adoptees:
What medical information about themselves and their family was provided by your birthparents at the time of placement.
What medical information is available to you concerning your own medical treatment at birth and at the time of placement.
Has either birthparent added medical information since the adoption was finalized. (If so when, and for what purpose?)
Your hospital of birth.
Name of delivering Dr. and pediatrician.
Did your mother have regular pre-natal care before giving birth?
Was your mother in a maternity home. If so the name.
Was more than one agency or lawyer involved in the adoption?
Were you adopted in the same state your were born in.
Do you now live in the same state as your birth?
What reason was given for your relinquishment?
Were your natural parents married?
If so was it to each other?
Did they marry or divorce during pregnancy or after your birth?
Did either natural parent have other children before or after your birth? If so ages and genders.
Did either birthparent have siblings? (ages and gender)
Were you placed in foster care? If so the names of the families, location and the length of time.
Did the birthfather know about the pregnancy?
If so what was his involvement in the pregnancy or decision to relinquish.
Did anyone accompany the birthmother during her visits with the agency/attorney or while she was in the hospital? If so who.
What were your natural parents first names.
Where you given a name at birth? Did your name stay the same if you were placed in foster care?
What were the ages of your natural parents?
What region of the country were they from?
What were the plans of the natural parents after relinquishing?
Were they planning to move, return to school, pursue hobbies?
What schooling, occupations, hobbies, political involvement or clubs did your natural parents have?
What religion were your birthparents?
Non-identifying physical description of your parents. (coloring, height, weight, ethnicity, over all health)
What were the agency /lawyer summaries about the emotional state of the birth parents regarding adoption.
If your birth parents were minors, what was the age and usual occupation of their parents.
Did other family members know of the pregnancy.
Is there any record of what their involvement or reaction to the pregnancy and adoption were.
Did the birthparents ever see you or hold you.
Were you in their custody at all before being placed.
Did your birth parents place any other children for adoption either before or after your birth?
If so when and what were there ages and gender?
How old were you when placed for adoption.
How old were you when you were adopted?
Where was the adoption finalized and when?
What non-id might your birth parents receive about you or your adoptive family.
When was the last contact with the birth parents.
Has anything new been added to your file?
Has either birth parent or other family member attempted to make contact with your or your adoptive family? If so when and whom.
Was there ever an action brought by your natural parents or other family members to reverse the adoption or remove you from foster care?
If so what details are available concerning that?
Did your adoptive parents ever meet your birthparents. If so what are the details concerning that.
If your were removed from the custody or your parents by the state, how old were you and what reasons where given?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
IN ORDER TO KNOW YOURSELF!
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