age and understanding. 215 Manner of application for disclosure of protected information: AIR 12 11.37. Any application to an adoption agency for the disclosure of protected information under sections 61 or 62 of the Act must be made in writing and state the reasons for the application. It is important that the application contains sufficient information to enable the agency to make an initial assessment of the merits of application and to locate and retrieve the records to which the application relates. This is particularly important where the agency holds large numbers of adoption records, some of which may have been inherited from other adoption agencies that have ceased to exist or operate. 11.38. Where the applicant is the adopted person, the following details should be provided in the application:  current (and any previous) forename(s) and surname;  name on adoption (if different from current name);  date of birth;  full names of adoptive parent(s);  name at birth/prior to adoption (if known);  date of adoption (if known). 11.39. Where the application is from a birth relative of an adopted person or from any other person:  current forenames(s) and surname;  name of adopted person (if known);  original birth name of adopted person;  relationship to adopted person (if a birth relative);  date of adoption (if known). 11.40. There is nothing in AIR 12 to prevent a person from registering their intention to apply to the agency for the disclosure of information by other means (e.g. by telephone, email or via the agency’s website). But the formal application to the agency must be made in writing - which may include email - and must include the information listed above so as to enable the agency to properly discharge its duties under AIR 13. In addition to the