Providing Adoptive Parents With Information About Adoptees and Their Birth Families - North Carolina

Date: August 2020

Agency or Person Preparing the Report

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 48-3-205

An individual or agency placing the minor, or the individual's agent, must compile and provide to the prospective adoptive parent a written document containing the information described below about the child and the child's birth family.

The Division of Social Services shall develop and make available forms designed to collect the information described below. However, forms reasonably equivalent to those provided by the division may be substituted.

Contents of Report About the Adopted Person

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 48-3-205

The information that must be provided includes the child's date of birth and the child's weight at birth. In addition, the written document must include all reasonably available nonidentifying information about the health of the child that is relevant to the adoption decision or to the minor's health and development. This health-related information shall include the following:

  • The child's present state of physical and mental health
  • Health and genetic histories
  • Information concerning any history of emotional, physical, sexual, or substance abuse
  • An account of the prenatal and postnatal care received by the child

Contents of Report About the Birth Family

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 48-3-205

The information that must be provided includes the following:

  • The ages of the birth parents in years at the time of the child's birth
  • The heritage of the birth parents, including nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, and race
  • The education of the birth parents, including the number of years of school completed by the birth parents at the time of the child's birth
  • The general physical appearances of the birth parents

In addition, the written document must include all reasonably available nonidentifying information about the health of the birth parents and other members of the birth parents' families that is relevant to the adoption decision or to the child's health and development. This health-related information shall include the following about each individual:

  • Present state of physical and mental health
  • Health and genetic histories
  • Information concerning any history of emotional, physical, sexual, or substance abuse

When the Report Is Made

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 48-3-205

The information must be provided to the adoptive parent before the child is placed for adoption.

Exceptions for Stepparent or Relative Adoptions

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Related Resources