This website is a guide to help you find and access records created about you (or your whānau) by government agencies, faith-based organisations, or other organisations involved in decisions about your guardianship or care.
We acknowledge and uphold the mana of manuhiri / visitors to this website. It has been designed with the views of people with lived experience at its centre. People have shared how the process of getting your records can be challenging – both in terms of the range of emotions it can bring up, as well as the practical steps involved. We hope Kōnae will make the process of getting your records easier and that this website will be a safe and empowering space for you.
This website is for anyone who wants to access their personal records from times spent in places like children’s homes, health camps, psychiatric hospitals and wards, boot camps, borstals or youth justice residences.
It is for those who want their adoption records, records from time with a foster family, or records from state involvement in their care arrangements with whānau and kin. Records may include things like social worker notes, medical files, and photos. Some people refer to these records as care records or welfare files.
You have a legal right to your records. If you want to access your records, this website can guide you through the process.
We have heard from those with lived experience how important it is for people to have support when going through the process of getting their records. We encourage you to seek the support you need. You can find a link to support options and suggestions for taking care of your wellbeing through the Find Support button that appears on every page.
If you want to leave this website quickly, there is also a Quick Exit button on every page.
Kōnae provides information about how to request your records, what records you might get and what you can expect from the process.
Our map can help you find the organisations that may hold your records, their contact details and specific information about their records request process. You can use our online form to request records directly from these organisations.
Please note, this website does not hold records or personal information.
The name of this website, Kōnae, is inspired by a survivor who described retrieving his records as “hauling in a net that carries part of your life story”. Kōnae embodies the process of reclaiming what matters.
In te reo Māori, Kōnae refers to a file, a woven basket, and the belly of a fishing net—symbols of gathering, sifting, and keeping what’s valuable. Kōnae offers website users a place to recover, keep, or release parts of their history.
How to pronouce Kōnaeopen_in_new (press the icon next to "Kōnae").
This website is a response to one of the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. People told the Royal Commission about the challenges they experienced when trying to access their records.
Survivors of abuse in care faced confusing processes, long delays, and were often denied access to their personal records. Poor record-keeping led to incomplete, lost, or destroyed documents. When records did arrive, they were often heavily redacted, with most words blacked out.
Records can help people better understand the decisions made about their lives and can be an empowering step toward healing. They can also be helpful evidence for survivors of abuse who are seeking justice and redress.
Kōnae has been designed and developed by Citizens Advice Bureauopen_in_new (CAB) together with people of lived experience and independently of government.
Survivors highlighted how important ‘trust’ is for people wanting to access their records. They thought people would have more trust in this website if it was independent of government. CAB was identified as a trusted community service with experience and expertise in producing plain language information and helping people to know and understand their rights. CAB is honoured to be kaitiaki for this website.
Learn more about the story behind this website.
The Royal Commission found widespread abuse and neglect and in some cases torture in state and faith-based institutions.
We tested with survivors how they felt about the use of the word “care” on this website. Many told us that 'care' is the opposite of what they experienced. They supported us in limiting the use of the word ‘care’ where we can.
That’s why on this website you will see us talk about ‘records’ instead of ‘care records’ and use phrases like ‘time spent in places like…’ instead of ‘being placed in care’.
Learn more about the language used on this website.
You have a legal right to access records about you from organisations who hold them.
Sign up to our email newsletter for the latest updates and news on the website.