ecurrence. All agency staff with responsibility for handling section 56 information should be clear as to their duty to safeguard this information at all times. Preservation of section 56 information: AIR 6 11.16. All section 56 information must be kept for a minimum of 100 years from the date of the adoption order. This duty applies to information stored in any format. See chapter 6 for guidance on storing the case of adoption records of children who were not adopted, or the records of prospective adopters who were not approved. 11.17. Where the agency wishes to destroy section 56 information after the 100 year period, this must be treated as confidential waste and disposed of accordingly. Records should be shredded prior to disposal. Transfer of section 56 information: AIR 7 11.18. Where a voluntary adoption agency (VAA) ceases to operate or exist, any section 56 information it holds must be transferred to:  another adoption agency, having first obtained the approval of Ofsted (the registration authority) for such transfer.  the local authority in whose area the VAA’s principal office is situated; 211  to the new VAA in the case of a VAA which amalgamates with another VAA to form a new VAA. 11.19. The adoption agency receiving the section 56 information must give Ofsted written notification of the transfer of records and will automatically become subject to the duties in the AIR in respect of the safeguarding, preservation and disclosure of that information. 11.20. Where a VAA transfers its records to another adoption agency it must, if its activities were principally based within a single local authority area, notify that local authority of the transfer. This requirement is intended to ensure that clear signposting exists in respect of the former VAA’s case record