Birth and adoption certificates

When a child is born in England their parents must register the birth of the baby.  This means they go to the Registry Office and inform the Government that they have had a baby and what that baby will be called.  The parents are then given a certificate, which shows that they have registered their child.  This is called a “birth certificate”.

Your birth certificate remains very important throughout your life.  You need it to get a passport, to get married, sometimes to get a job and so on.  Your social worker should have a copy of your birth certificate on your file.  Don’t worry if your parents have lost your birth certificate or if you were born in a different country, your social worker will know how to get you a copy of it.

If you are adopted you get a new certificate, an “Adoption Certificate”, when you take your new family’s surname.  When you are 18 you can apply to get a copy of your original birth certificate.