How Do You View Sealed Adoption Records In California?
California adoption records are confidential and only available to the adult adoptee, adoptive parents, adult sibling or birth parents. While nonidentifying information is generally provided to the adoptive parents at the time of adoption, identifying information requires a “consent for contact” form for the release of information for all parties involved. If a consent form was not filed at the time of adoption or one can not be obtained, a court order documenting good cause may be required. Write a letter to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) requesting the nonidentifying information, such as: date and place of the adoptee’s birth; age of the birth parents and general physical description, such as eye and hair color; race, ethnicity, religion and medical history of the birth parents; educational level of the birth parents and their occupations at the time of the adoption; reason for placing the child for adoption; and existence of other children born to each birth par
