The whole concept of adoption is geared around secrecy and confidentiality. The
adopters' identity is hidden from the birth family from the outset and the court
proceedings are usually given a 'serial number' so the parties are unaware of
each other. Do not be deceived by this: mistakes and cock-ups are common in the
world of social work; the court procedure is muddled and information 'leaks
through' without difficulty.
And how do you keep the whereabouts of the adopters secret when the
Regulations require the proceedings to be issued in the court for the area in
which the child resides?
Moreover it is common for a child to be placed for
adoption in the same County as they originally lived in when they were first
taken into care.
In practice, of course, this matters less when there is some form of contact
with the birth family, which makes it easier for them to accept what has
happened.
If there are problems of harassment (which fortunately are rare) the courts
have a range of powers to deal with them. Here again, a specialist solicitor's
help is vital.