Research on a child must distinguish parentage, guardianship, placement and adoption. Record terms depend on their period.
The method, step by step
- Start with established events and place. Identify institution, court or care service and read its inventory before name searching.
- Check file-specific access conditions. Prepare a precise request and evidence required by the repository without publishing sensitive documents.
- Record file number, entry and exit dates, decision and named people. Separate written information from interpretation.
- Compare with accessible civil and court records. Log contradictions and respect stated access or publication restrictions.
Record in your research log
- Institution
- file
- decision
- people’s roles
- access conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Does guardianship prove adoption?
No. Read roles and decisions in the file and their context. Do not infer biological parentage from placement.
Sources & references
- Archives New Zealand — Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga ↗ (Resource review date : )
- Nationaal Archief — access to restricted records ↗
- General Register Office ↗ (Resource review date : )