Protecting Your Privacy

Information is protected under the Manitoba Adoption Act

How can a person’s identifying information be released without their registration/consent?

Adoptees and Birth Parents:

Manitoba Post-Adoption Services may only release an adoptee’s name by adoption and a birth parent’s name at the time of the child’s birth without their consent by providing an eligible applicant with copies of the birth registrations.

Only adoptees and a birth parent named on the pre-adoption birth registration are entitled to apply for copies of the birth registrations. The release of an adoptee or birth parent’s name is subject to any vetoes, Contact Preferences, or past refusals that have been filed.

Other birth family members and members of an adoptee’s family:

The name of a birth family member including a birth father not named on the pre-adoption birth registration, a birth sibling, and birth grandparent cannot be released to an adoptee or their adopted family member without the birth family member’s registration/consent.

The only exception is a birth father’s name may be released one year after his death or in the absence of a record of death, when he would be 101 years of age.

The name of an adopted family member, including the adoptive parents, siblings, and the adult child of an adoptee cannot be released to a birth family member without the adoptive family member’s registration/consent.

Ways to protect your privacy:

Disclosure Veto

Adoptees and Birth Parents - For adoptions granted prior to June 15, 2015, you may file a Disclosure Veto to prevent the release of your name through the release of birth registrations.

Please be aware adoptees must be 16+ years of age to file a Disclosure Veto. Birth parents must complete a separate Disclosure Veto form for every child they had placed for adoption.

Apply by mail, email or in person by downloading the Disclosure Veto Application (PDF)

Cancelling your Disclosure Veto, by downloading the Disclosure Cancelling Veto Application (PDF)

NOTE: Applicants must provide one copy of valid government-issued identification (ID)

Other Individuals

Your name/identifying information will not be shared without your registration/consent. If you have questions about your individual circumstances, contact the Post-Adoption Services office

Contact Preference

Contact Preferences only apply to Adoptees and Birth Parents named on the pre-adoption birth registration.

For adoptions granted both before and after June 15, 2015, you may file a Contact Preference. A contact preference relates only to the release of an adoptee’s name by adoption and a birth parent’s name at the time of the child’s birth without their consent through the release of birth registrations.

Please note you must be 16+ years of age to file a Contact Preference. Birth parents must complete a separate Contact Preference form for every child.

A contact preference does not prevent the disclosure of your name through the release of birth registrations. A Contact Preference allows you to indicate what type of contact you are open to having with a party entitled to receive your name through the release of birth registrations.

You are able to indicate that you want no contact. If you complete a Contact Preference for no contact, the requesting party will have to complete an undertaking agreeing to abide by your preference before your name will be disclosed through the release of birth registrations.

You are able to indicate that contact is wanted and share the contact information (i.e. email, phone number, address) you wish to have released to your birth parent or child should they apply for birth registrations.

Apply by mail, email or in person by downloading the Contact Preference application (PDF)

Cancel your Contact Preference by downloading the Contact Preference Cancellation application (PDF)

NOTE: Applicants must provide one copy of valid government-issued identification (ID)

Past Vetoes and Refusals to Register

If you filed a Disclosure/Contact Veto prior to June 15, 2015, it will continue to be effective and will be respected. Your name will not be shared through the release of birth registrations.

If you were previously contacted by Manitoba Post-Adoption Services as a result a search for you and you advised Manitoba Post-Adoption Services that you did not wish to register to share your identifying information/have personal contact, your past refusal will continue to be effective and will be respected. Your name will not be shared through the release of birth registrations.

If you are unsure if you have a past Disclosure/Contact Veto or refusal on file, contact Manitoba Post-Adoption Services.