AboutRachel Expertise I can answer questions about fostering - What's it like to be a foster carer? Who to go to for help? Experiences with troubled children. Attachment problems. Leaving care. Long term fostering. Dealing with birth families. Working with schools, statements, EBD schools.
Experience My husband and I have been foster carers for over five years and we are currently long term carers for two boys. We have had one boy from the age of 9 to 14 years who is with us long term. We have done short term respite care, one year seeing a sixteen year old girl through to leaving care and long term care of another boy from age 10-11
Expert: Rachel Date: 6/14/2008 Subject: no birth certificate
Question QUESTION: I don't have a birth certificate as it has become obvious my parents never registered me.
I wish to get married soon and wonder if I can do so without a BC. Will it cause problems in my future? My birthdate has been made up, as has my name and I'm happy to accept both of those, but will it really matter that I dont have one? Can I create one for myself? Any help will be appreciated.
ANSWER: Georgia
I'm afraid this would be a serious matter in the UK and it will be difficult for you to do quite a lot of things without a birth certificate e.g. you would not be able to receive health care, apply for a regular job, get a passport, possibly even open a bank account let alone get married without a birth certificate.
In the UK it is a legal requirement to register a birth within 42 days of the birth. I don't know what the penalty is for your parents for failing to do this. If you are in the UK you need to contact the General Register Office for information on what to do.
If you are in the US, then the rules may not be as strict in certain states. The following website has information on how to obtain an existing birth certificate. In its FAQ section it says:
Q: What if the state where my birth took place does not have a record of my birth?
A: If applying for a birth certificate and when we search for the record and no record is found on file then a no record of birth certificate will be issued. This no record of birth can be used to obtain a passport if needed.
QUESTION: Thank you for your answer. I am in the UK but have had no problems with getting healthcare or a bank account. Getting married seems to be my biggest problem.
I was abandoned in a phonebox as a baby, so there was no info about me at all. How do other people left in similar circumstances get past this problem?
Answer Georgina
That's good that you have been able to manage so far. Do you have a National Insurance No? If you do then I would think that there must be a registration of your birth somewhere presumably by social services.
They have offices all over the country and you can put in you postcode on this screen and it will tell you the nearest one to you, which you either visit, phone or email for advice.
