can i have access to our adoption records?

[Jagno9]

Having a horrible time. Try to shorten things... applied to adopt with husband, accepted, then it all went horribly wrong. Husband had a major meltdown, I had to leave home with our little girl as he refused to and still continues to. Needless to say I was bound by the panel to let them know, at this point I thought we could sort it out with help. Adoption officer came for meeting. He saw through my husbands lies, thankfully. And decided that adoption was not the way forward. Incredibly sad, but knew deep down we couldn't work things out. He had told me he no longer found me attractive and was no longer in love with me and had felt this way for over a year. So basically before we'd applied to adopt.
What I need to know is if I can have a copy of our notes and how can I get them? Because we talked about what would happen to our children should we ever split up (one of the many questions we were asked). I could really do with it in light of all of the lies he is telling and the horrible way he is now treating me and our family. He is also saying he had his meltdowns because I left, however this is not the truth, I left because I couldn't take anymore. Can anyone help please? X

[flightywoman]

How sad for you OP, I'm so sorry he has been so unkind.

You need to make a subject access request for your information - there is good advice on the information commissioner's website about how to do it.

But actually, in the first instance I would probably just ask them and ask whether they will give you the information or whether they would prefer you to make a SAR.

Anything you do receive will be redacted for third-party data - it will have information about other people removed, but you will know what you and he said so that shouldn't be too difficult to decipher.

Good luck.

[flightywoman]

Here is the link to the ICO's information pages ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information/

[Jagno9]

Thank-you so much x

[Kr1stina]

Just to explain, anything in the records that your husband said or wrote or anything that refers to him will be redacted - usually marked out with a black felt tip pen .

They may even choose to delete information about you as a couple as its only you who is making the request.

And they may also redact anything that refers to information they got from someone else, such as a referee or a medical report .

So you need to be prepared that the information you get may not be useful to you .

I'm sorry for what you are going through .

[flightywoman]

I'd think that any report made by a professional in the course of their employment would be included - medical reports for example. But information from 'regular' people like referees might not be - unless they ask that person and they agree to it being disclosed.

Also, for the things about you as a couple, if you were together when the information was recorded - in a joint interview for example - then I would expect that to be included as it is information you would already know.

Whenever I've prepared records to disclose for a subject access request that's the approach I've taken.

I work in information management for my local authority and have just been reviewing our policies and procedures on this very subject so it's very current for me!

If you want to ask anything else please do.

[Kr1stina]

I made a Subject access request and all the information that referred to my children was redacted . These were my children under the age of 16 for whom I had full parental responsibility and resided 100% with me .

There was a great deal of information that I already knew that was completely redacted because it referred to eg a meeting where there were people from another agency present so that was third party information. Even though I had been present at the meeting .

The information was almost competely useless. Which I assume was the point.

[flightywoman]

I'd have complained about that Kr1stina. That's pointless redaction.

[Kr1stina]

Indeed, it was full of pointless redactions. Anything that mentioned anyone except me was redacted . They must have used a lot of sharpies.

I didn't complain , because I thought it was within the letter of the law .

I hope the OP has a more postive experience