Family Law- Guardianship and Adoption

 

Guardianship Research Guide 223 Guardianship and Adoption

The Guardianship Act of 1827 allowed a Probate or Surrogate court judge to appoint an individual to safeguard a child’s “property, person and education” until maturity. These records are held in the Archives of Ontario. Poor families rarely approached the courts but made private arrangements with relative or friends.

Adoption

The Access to Adoption Records Act, 2008 opens up more information in adoption records to adopted adults and birth parents. This new law gives adopted adults and  birth parents more rights to information and privacy. It includes identifying information, like the original name of an adopted adult or the name of a birth parent.  Adopted adults and birth parents have the option to protect the privacy of their post- adoption birth information. There is an “Adopted Person’s Guide to Post-Adoption Birth Information” found online but the application must be sent to:

Services Ontario
Office of the Registrar General        
P.O. Box 4600, 189 Red River Road
Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 6L8