Healthy living

Donor Conception Information Service

The Donor Conception Information Service (DCIS) provides support and access to information to people who are donor-conceived or participants in donor conception through a licensed fertility clinic in Western Australia.

DCIS recognises that legislation governing collection, storage and use of donor gametes has evolved over time.

The DCIS:

  • facilitates eligible individuals' access to their legally available information held by the Department of Health and licensed fertility clinics
  • offers support and counselling to help people make sense of this information and understand how it might affect them and their families
  • supports individuals to consider their preferences for contact with genetically related people when a match is found, and helps make that contact happen if everyone agrees in writing.
 

Icon: Donor

Donors

 
A donor’s legal children

Donors may have also had their own legal children. These people might have some curiosity about potential genetically related donor siblings and request to contact them through DCIS. This will be possible only if the donor siblings have registered with DCIS and stated their consent for contact. If you are in this situation, please email or call DCIS to discuss this process.

FAQs

If I have already applied to Jigsaw, do I need to apply to DCIS?

All information collected by Jigsaw is now held by the WA Department of Health (the department) and will be included in DCIS searches for matches. No details have been removed or altered.  When a match is identified, we will contact all relevant parties to discuss their preferences for communication and arrange a suitable time to talk. If you have not registered with DCIS at this stage, we will ask you to complete a DCIS application, consent form and statutory declaration to verify your identity. If you believe your contact details may have changed since joining the voluntary register or the Jigsaw database, please fill in a DCIS application form as soon as possible to avoid any delays in contact.

How long will it take to get a response after I apply to the DCIS?

Your application will be acknowledged within 2 or 3 days after it is received by DCIS.   

The timeframes for providing information can vary slightly depending on the amount of work required to search databases and verify the information. The department also contacts the fertility clinic to confirm the accuracy of the information held. This may vary slightly from person to person.  Currently, the department processes identifying and non-identifying donor information within approximately 8 weeks, and non-identified sibling information within 12 weeks. 

If you submitted your application approximately 4 weeks ago, you can expect to receive the information within 4-8 weeks.

Will I be able to access information about a donor related person if that person has died?

Apart from non-identifying descriptions of donors and donor siblings, we cannot provide any other information without consent. Responsibility for sharing information or engaging in conversations or meetings agreed upon by a person before their death cannot be transferred to anyone else. DCIS does not offer services involving engagement with relatives of deceased donors, donor-conceived individuals, or parents of donor-conceived persons. Unfortunately, the department does not hold information regarding whether or when a donor has died.

What forms do I need to complete?

DCIS now has an online user portal where you can manage your applications and any matches.  Follow the link to register your account with your email address.

Statutory Declaration of Identity (submit before your Application Form)

To process your DCIS application, we need to confirm your identity.  Currently, we require applicants to submit a Statutory Declaration of their Identity that is witnessed along with appropriate certified copies of identity documents (see form for acceptable witnesses and ID documents).  If we arrange a meeting with you to provide information, please bring your identity documents with you.

Application Form

You need to complete an online application form to apply for information. This form includes your consent for DCIS to hold your personal information and allow the department to search for matched relatives and to advise you of any future matches.

Donor Information Release Agreement

If you receive any identifying information, you will also need to sign an agreement that says you have received counselling and understand the implications and limitations of the information and agree to keep it confidential.

Consent to release contact information

If you have a matched relative and wish to share information with them, you will need to confirm your consent before we can share your details with them.

Will I be able to access health information about my donor?

Donor-conceived people and recipient parents can access the non-identifying information the donor provided at the time of donation. This includes their known medical information and is not updated.

How do I update my contact details?

To update your contact details please submit an online request through your portal.

I have a different question who can I contact?

Please email DCIS@health.wa.gov.au with any other questions.


Where to get help

Donor Conception Information Service
Email: DCIS@health.wa.gov.au
Phone:0457 619 376
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

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Support groups


Last reviewed: 10-07-2025
Acknowledgements

Reproductive Technology Unit