The Independent Review Mechanism (England)

The only people who can apply to the review panel are adopted people or birth relatives, where an adoption took place on or after December 30th 2005, and they do not agree with the qualifying determination given to them by their adoption agency.

Making your application
Your application must be made in writing and include the following:

• The reasons why you disagree with your adoption agency's determination,
• the date of the letter you received from your adoption agency informing you of the determination,
• the name and address of your adoption agency. This will enable us to obtain from them the information which the Review Panel will need.

You must make your application within 40 days from the date of the adoption agency's letter.

You can send your application to us by post, fax or email. It is important that you do not send your application to any other address since this will delay the review panel considering your application.