The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

PART IV MISCELLANEOUS

Application, with modifications, of provisions of the 1987 Order

32.—(1) The provisions of the 1987 Order set out in column 1 of Schedule 3 shall apply with the modifications set out in column 2 of that Schedule in relation to adoptions under the Convention.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not preclude the application of provisions of the 1987 Order, which do not require modifications, to adoptions under the Convention.

Application, with modifications, of provisions of the Adoption Agencies Regulations

33.  The provisions of the Adoption Agencies Regulations set out in column 1 of Schedule 4 shall apply with the modifications set out in column 2 of that Schedule in relation to adoptions under the Convention.

Offences

34.  Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with–

(a) regulation 13 (duty of prospective adopter to notify HSS trust);

(b) regulation 16(2) (surrender of child to HSS trust);

(c) regulation 16(4) (surrender of child to HSS trust as ordered by the court); or

(d) regulation 21(3) (surrender of child to HSS trust within period determined by the court),

without reasonable excuse, is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both.

Transitional provision

35.—(1) These regulations shall not apply in relation to the case of any prospective adopter who wishes to adopt a child from a Convention country outside the British Islands which has been referred by the adoption agency (dealing with the case) to the adoption panel before the date these regulations come into operation.

(2) No application may be made for a Convention adoption order under Article 16A of the 1987 Order unless the arrangements for the adoption of the child have been made in accordance with these Regulations.