Post-Adoption Records & Resources

Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children maintains thousands of records from its 110+ year history. Spence-Chapin also acts as a repository for records for Louise Wise Services and Talbot Perkins. We can also assist clients who are unsure through which agency their adoption was planned.

For additional information, view our list of PARR services.

Spence-Chapin

Eligible individuals who are interested in receiving information from a Spence-Chapin record can contact Spence-Chapin’s Post-Adoption Records and Resources Department at (212) 369-0300 ext. 121 or parr.info@spence-chapin.org to receive more information on our services. All eligible individuals must submit a PARR application to receive services. View the application here. All applications must be printed, signed, and notarized. Please mail completed applications with $50 fee, and proof of ID to:

Spence-Chapin Services to Families & Children
120 East 16th Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10003
Attn: Post Adoption Records

Talbot Perkins

Spence-Chapin only maintains Talbot Perkins records from before 1960. If your adoption was planned through Talbot Perkins in or after 1960, please contact the Administration for Children’s Services at (212) 341-0900.

Eligible individuals who are interested in receiving information from a pre-1960 Talbot Perkins record can contact Spence-Chapin’s Post-Adoption Records and Resources Department at (212) 369-0300 ext. 121 or parr.info@spence-chapin.org for more information. All eligible individuals must submit a PARR application to receive services. View the application here. All applications must be printed, signed, and notarized. Please mail completed applications with $50 fee, and proof of ID to:

Spence-Chapin Services to Families & Children
120 East 16th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10003
Attn: Post Adoption Records

Louise Wise Services

Individuals who are interested in receiving information from a Louise Wise adoption record.

Clients Who
Are Unsure of
Their Adoption Agency

If you are unsure through which agency your adoption was planned, you must submit a PARR application to request a search for your adoption record. View the application here. 

A $50 application fee will apply to all Spence-Chapin and Talbot Perkin clients requesting record information.

Who Can Apply

  • Adopted Persons and Former Foster Clients 18 Years and Older
  • Birth Parents
  • Adoptive Parents of children under the age of 18
  • Biological siblings of adopted persons/former foster clients, 18 years and older

 

Please note that available information differs between client types. Please be advised that Spence-Chapin cannot share confidential information with anyone other than an approved applicant without proof of guardianship or power of attorney. Confidential information can only be discussed with approved applicants who have submitted an application and only after the approved applicant’s identity has been verified. Even after application approval and identity verification has been completed, identifying information cannot be disclosed under most circumstances. Spence-Chapin is legally bound and limited in the information we can provide.

Adoption records in the State of New York are sealed and confidential in accordance with New York Domestic Relations Law section 114; and therefore, Spence-Chapin is legally bound and limited in the information we can provide. New York State Public Health Law section 4138-c only permits the release of certain non-identifying information.

PARR Services
And Additional
Information

Non-Identifying Information – Under NY and NJ law, Spence-Chapin, as an authorized/licensed adoption agency, can provide certain individuals with a summary of non-identifying information from their adoption record. This may include social and medical background information.

Assistance with NYSAIR Registration – Persons eligible for NYSAIR (the New York State Adoption Information Registry) can apply directly to NYSAIR or can send their NYSAIR application to Spence-Chapin instead, who can then help expedite their request with NYSAIR. Once Spence-Chapin forwards the NYSAIR application to the NYSAIR office on the client’s behalf, NYSAIR will contact the client directly to confirm registration. If the client does not hear from NYSAIR within 4 months after receiving notice from Spence-Chapin that their NYSAIR application has been forwarded to the NYSAIR office, the client should contact NYSAIR directly. *Please note that a PARR Application is required for Spence-Chapin to process this request, which can be found here.

NYSAIR applications can be found here.

Information on Search and Reunion – Spence-Chapin can provide a list of resources for search and reunion assistance. Spence-Chapin cannot endorse or guarantee the services of any third-party provider.

South Korea Birth Parent Search – For those adopted through our South Korea program, Spence-Chapin can communicate with Korea Welfare Services, our South Korea partner agency, on clients’ behalf to assist in the process of submitting paperwork needed to initiate a birth parent search in South Korea.

Contact Assistance with Open Adoptions – Spence-Chapin can facilitate contact between clients who mutually executed a written openness/post-adoption contact agreement at the time of adoption planning but have since lost contact or have experienced challenges with existing contact.

Other – For additional services related to an adoption record, such as verification or proof of an adoption, please indicate “Other” on the PARR application and describe the request.

Note: Clients seeking emotional support may contact Spence-Chapin’s Family & Community Support Services at (646) 539-2167 or at postadoption@spence-chapin.org for more information on our therapy and consultation services. 

Adopted Persons’ Right to Obtain Original Birth Certificates:

New York: As of January 15, 2020, adopted persons who were born and/or adopted in New York State are eligible to apply for their original (pre-adoption) birth certificates. Direct decedents of deceased adopted persons are also eligible to apply.

For those born in one of the five boroughs of New York City, original birth certificates are available here through the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

For those born New York State but outside of New York City, original birth certificates are available here through the New York State Department of Health.

Eligible adopted persons, birth parents and biological siblings can register to exchange contact information with a related party through the New York State Adoption Information Registry (NYSAIR). Both parties must be registered before information can be exchanged. Through NYSAIR, birth parents may also anonymously leave health history information for the adopted persons. More information about NYSAIR can be found here.

New Jersey: As of January 1, 2017, authorized individuals may obtain an uncertified copy of an adopted person’s original birth certificate and other related documents. For more information, please see New Jersey Vital Statistics FAQ’s, which can be found here.

Individuals interested in obtaining a birth certificate from the New Jersey Vital Statistics Office can find application instructions here.

Eligible birth parents interested in submitting contact preference information and/or family history information to the New Jersey Vital Statistics Office can do so online here.

Other States: Original birth certificate laws vary state by state. The Adoptee Rights Law organization offers a state-by-state list of original birth certificate laws, which can be found here.

For those who were adopted in New York but born in another state, the agency that facilitated the adoption may be able to provide clients with information that would have been on the original birth certificate. If Spence-Chapin maintains your record, you may apply for information through the PARR application process

Original birth certificates are only available through government vital record offices; Spence-Chapin cannot process these requests.