Victorian assisted reproductive treatment (ART) legislation allows donor-conceived individuals, their parents, donors and descendants of donor-conceived individuals to apply for information through the Donor Conception Registrar at the Department of Health.
Before submitting an application for the disclosure of information from the Central Register, applicants must complete a Statement of Reasons form. The form outlines:
- Why you are seeking information
- What you hope to achieve in the short and long term.
The completed form will be forwarded to the person about whom you are requesting information.
What to include in your Statement of Reasons
The Statement of Reasons allows the other party to:
- Learn about your motivations for seeking information
- Understand your hopes for future information exchange or contact
This may be their first interaction with someone connected to them through donation, so keep your message simple and respectful.
Tips for writing your statement
- Share a bit about yourself: Include what you are comfortable disclosing and ask any specific questions you may have
- Clarify your goals: Explain how you would like to start communicating and your long-term hopes. For example, you might request medical or cultural background information or express openness to friendship
- Use sensitive language: Instead of saying “I want to meet you”, consider phrasing it as “If you’d like to, it is my hope that we could meet one day”.
Respecting wishes and privacy
It's important to approach this process at a pace that works for both parties
- Respect each other's wishes about contact to foster a positive outcome
- Protect your privacy by reviewing your social media settings if you wish to limit your online footprint.
Response time
The other person may need time to respond due to personal circumstances or the unexpected nature of your application. Allow them space to process and decide how to proceed.
The role of the Donor Conception Registrar
The Donor Conception Registrar manages the Central Register which contains information about donors and donor conceived individuals.
Key responsibilities:
- Verifying relationships before disclosing information (eg: donor name, date of birth, unique identifier.
- Providing prescribed explanatory materials before accepting an application.
- Disclosing identifying information only with the consent of the person involved, as outline in sections 53, 56, 57 & 58 of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 (Vic).
For more details on the Central Register and the role of the Donor Conception Registrar, refer to Sections 53 and 57 of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 .
Reviewed 30 December 2024