Care Leaver Records Access application

People who have left out-of-home care in NSW can access their care records and other personal childhood information held by the Department of Communities and Justice.

A person is entitled to have access to personal information relating directly to them under Section 168 and 169, Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW). There is no fee for this service.

You can apply for your records if:

• you were in the care of the NSW government agency responsible for child welfare as a child or young person. This includes being made a state ward, allocation of Parental Responsibility to the Minister or equivalent, and living in statutory out-of-home care, such as foster care, children’s homes and orphanages, or other institutional residential care.
• you are adopted and have been in out-of-home care. This means you can also apply for any other information under Chapter 8 of the Adoption Act 2000 (NSW) and Adoption Regulation 2015 (NSW).

Download the application form to complete your application.