Hello all,
I have been advised by our adoption services manager that these records need to be kept 75 years from adoption order, as she was advised this by "someone from the Department of Health".
I cannot find any statutory retention period for records of counselling specifically, and would be inclined to keep them a much shorter time period, since they are not adoption records per se, so I cannot see the need for such a long period. If I could prove to her that other local authorities are destroying them at an earlier time period it would be very useful, especially if anyone knows of any official authorisation for this.
(I have checked the RMS guidelines and they do not include counselling records except for prospective adopters.)
Thank you in anticipation of any and all replies! Please reply off list and I can collate responses in the usual way.
Regards,
Claire Skinner, Senior Records Manager,
Hampshire Record Office
Sussex Street, Winchester, Hants. SO23 8TH
01962 846154 E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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