What can I have access to?

You can request access to any personal data held about you either verbally (in person or by phone), or in writing.

Will this include social care records?

If Social Workers have had an involvement in your life, did you know that there may be written information about you in your records? The information held within files can hold many answers to a person’s past.

If you would like to obtain a copy of any information held, please follow the steps below.

If you have a social worker, you may wish to talk to them about seeing your files. They can help you to submit a request.

Will this include adoption records?

If you would like to request access to adoption records, please note that there is a different process to follow, via Adoption West - You can access your birth records if you don’t have them because you were adopted.

Everyone adopted before 12 November 1975 will need to attend a counselling session with an approved adoption advisor first.