Statement on recent press discussion about the digitisation of adoption records

This statement was prepared by the Chief Archivists in Local Government Group, building on their work with the records of care and adoption experienced people. It was sent to key stakeholders on Friday 19th September. If you would like to receive advance updates on CALGG’s work in this area please email deborah.mason@archives.org.uk

Introduction

The Archives and Records Association (ARA) is responding to a recent press article in which fears are expressed about the long-term preservation of adoption records due to proposed reorganisation of local government structures.  In the article a call is made by the Movement of an Adoption Apology for the digitisation of adoption records to avoid loss or destruction.  Whilst respectfully acknowledging the concerns of campaigners, the ARA would like to propose an alternative route, based on evidence gathered through recent work, which would offer a means of permanently improving access to adoption records for adopted people and their descendants and also for people who were brought up in care. Digitisation, whilst presenting real benefits in certain contexts is not a panacea and in this instance is not viewed as the most effective means of ensuring long-term access to key records.

We make this submission founded on detailed evidence of what we believe would make a real and material difference to the quality of access to records by those who need to see them.

Background

In 2021 members of the Chief Archivists in Local Government Group (CALGG – a section of the ARA) along with academic and social care specialist input formed a project group to examine the status and retention rules relating to the records of adoption and care-experienced people.  Consultants undertook wide-ranging research – surveying the location, type, format and quantities of records.  This was triggered by the upcoming centenary of the 1926 Adoption Act and the potential risk of destruction of records.  In tandem with this, work was undertaken to gauge the views of adopted and care-experienced people as well as professionals working in the fields of archives, records management, Data Protection and social care.  The work built on a significant evidence base built over years by the UCL MIRRA research project.

The resulting Guidance was published in February 2024.  This made a series of recommendations relating to the preservation of and accessibility to records.  In the current absence of statutory protection beyond 100 years, the Guidance suggested a new best practice retention period of 150 years.

Following the publication of the Guidance, the project team are continuing to work on various aspects of the creation, preservation and management of adoption and care records including the case management systems in which records are now generated.

Digitisation and its limitations

Digitisation is the process by which electronic surrogates are created of paper records.  The process is expensive to undertake, creates a carbon footprint and a digital preservation implication.  It must be done to a high and consistent standard in order to ensure long-term accessibility.  Digitisation can be a great solution.  However, in the case of adoption records, we are not convinced that this is the case.

It is estimated that since 1949 around 1.05 million individuals have been adopted in England and Wales reaching a peak of 27,000 adoptions in 1968 with around 3,500 new adoptions taking place annually today.

Digitisation is not cheap.  One estimate puts the cost of digitising existing paper records at around £30 million not including the important quality control and digital preservation requirements that would need to be built into the process.  The costs of their ongoing storage as well as the preservation of the newly created digital asset would need to be factored in. Some original records would still need to be kept including photographs, memorabilia, life story books and other physical items from birth parent. When scaled up, this represents a huge bill to the local government and charity sectors which they would undoubtedly struggle to meet.

Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the information held within adoption records including the name of the individual to whom the records relate is highly confidential.  No aspect of it could be shared on an online basis without compromising data protection.  In addition, any online resource would have increased cyber security implications. In this instance therefore, digitisation is not the solution.  However, there are other ways of approaching this challenge.

Proposed solution

ARA’s research identified discoverability – the means by which things can be found, to be one of the key challenges.  It is critically important that people searching for records have a single point of access which allows them to commence the process of tracking down relevant information which could be held by one of many (often extinct) organisations.  A good example of what is being proposed is operated and funded by the Australian government: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/.  Individuals can narrow their search very easily and focus in on where and how they can start their enquiry.

There is no exact equivalent currently for England and Wales.  The Adoption Search and Reunion website has fairly comprehensive information on where adoption records are held in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but is not maintained and is now out of date. Care experienced individuals can also search for care homes and workhouses using The Children's Homes Website by Peter Higginbotham. Several other databases exist in different places, although they are incomplete, out of date and sometimes maintained on obsolete software, imperilling the content.   

The ARA advocates the creation of a single comprehensive, actively updated and maintained database that is freely accessible to all.  This would ensure the longevity of available information about the dates, types and locations of records relating to adoption and care, so radically improving the basis on which individuals can begin their search for information about their own lives and those of their forebears.

ARA position

The ARA hereby calls upon government to urgently review the preservation status of these vitally important records before the centenary of the 1926 act in order to ensure their ongoing preservation.  We attach our report on this matter and are calling for the government to support care and adopted experienced people (and those affected by care/adoption) by:

• Urgently reviewing the preservation status of these vitally important records before the centenary of the Adoption Act in 2026 (at the centenary of the 1926 act some of these records can legally begin to be destroyed)

• Set up an online resource that will act as a single online resource that enables people affected by care/adoption to find the records they are searching for

• Ensure ongoing funding for such a resource so that is maintained, up to date and is updated in line with technological developments in order to protect this information in perpetuity.