Adoption information is stored in a number of ways. This depends on the year the adoption occurred, the recording methods of the time and the source of the information.

Books

Some very old records are in books where entries were made in handwriting. Many of the records in babies' homes such as McBrides were made this way. We have access to some of these records, although many were destroyed when the homes closed. For example, it is believed that the records from Kate Cocks Babies' Home at Brighton were destroyed in a fire. However, some of the details of these births were recorded in government files.

See Historical information about homes and institutions (South Australia) for more information.

Master cards

All adoptions since the 1920's are recorded on master cards, which are held by us. Basic information such as names and dates are entered onto the cards.

Paper files

Some information is stored in paper files, which are held with State Records. These contain documents about the adoption which relate to all the parties to the adoption. Examples are documents relating to the adoptive parents applying to adopt a child, social work notes made at the time the birth parent came to the Department to discuss adoption of their child and court documents concerning the hearing when the adoption order was made.

Microfiche

Many adoption files have been transferred onto microfiche. This is a process of making miniature photographic negatives of all the documents in a paper file. If this is the case, the information is more readily accessible as it is held with us. Copies of information from the microfiche are not as clearly reproduced as a normal photocopy and may have a greyish appearance.

CD-ROM

Many of the index cards relating to State Wards have been stored on CD-ROM.

State records

Some people who were adopted had previously been under State wardship orders. These files are all held at State Records, which has an archiving system for government files. We can request these files and they can be temporarily transferred for the purpose of research and copying.

Destruction of files

During the 1970's and early 1980's it was widely believed that the government should not hold personal records on people. During this time many records were destroyed with only sample files and index cards being retained. No record was kept of whose files were destroyed. Community views about this have changed and in the 1990's we are careful to preserve all records. Adoption files are held in perpetuity.