What foster records are and who can access them?

Foster records? are records containing information about adoptions. Fostering records are sealed right after the adoption has been finalized and not available to members of the general public. The regulations governing the access to fostering records may vary from state to state.

In Colorado for instance, adoption records can be access by the adoptee (if they are over 18 years of age), the adoptee birth parents, the adoptive parent if the adoptee is younger than 18 years old, an adult descendent of the adoptee, birth grandparents, former foster parents and legal representatives of the above listed persons.

How to get access to foster records?

If you need to get access to foster records, first of all you should check the regulations in your state. Once you make sure you can obtain access to foster records, you should visit the court civil department and request the records to be unsealed. This is done by filing a set of documents called an unseal pack. You will be asked for the full names of your adoptive parents, your date of birth and why you wish the records to be unsealed.

Keep in mind that each unseal request is reviewed by a judge and this can take anything from two weeks to several months.