NORCAP is a registered charity established in 1982 that aims to support, assist and advise adopted people and their relatives by both birth and adoption as they deal with issues arising from the impact of adoption upon their lives. The charity has assisted over 50,000 individuals most of who live in Great Britain but including a considerable number that now live overseas but who were involved in an English/Welsh adoption. A full time equivalent employed staff team of 4.5 and over 60 volunteers provides the services. It is funded primarily by membership subscriptions and currently receives no statutory financial support.

NORCAP presented written and oral evidence to the Special Select Committee established to examine the Adoption and Children Bill of March 2001. We have annotated a copy of that evidence to show which proposals of NORCAP are reflected in the current Bill and this is attached as appendix 1. We will focus this memorandum of evidence on a single issue the right to information and to have the opportunity of reunion. The proposals contained in the Bill concerning future access to information by people who will be affected by an adoption order made after enactment of this Bill cause us grave concern. The lack of proposals to address the needs of people living with the impact of adoption upon their lives as a consequence of adoption orders made between 1927 and the present day are equally disturbing. Having covered these matters we will conclude our evidence by listing in bullet point format the other points that we hope will be addressed or amended before the Bill becomes law.