Woman not allowed to contact mother

IN a decision with important implications for adopted persons seeking information about their birth mothers, the High Court has overturned a decision of the Information Commissioner directing a health board to disclose to a woman edited records relating to the woman’s adoption.

The commissioner had argued the records were non-identifying of the birth mother and that disclosure could be made in the public interest.

The woman, now in her forties, was adopted at birth and has been seeking for years information about her birth mother and is anxious to contact her. She had told the board she had contacted a private detective about the matter.