Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Northern Ireland Adoption and Children Act Register

144.—(1) The Department must establish and maintain a register, to be called the Northern Ireland Adoption and Children Act Register, containing—

(a) prescribed information about children who are suitable for adoption, children for whom an adoption authority is considering adoption and prospective adopters who are suitable to adopt a child;

(b) prescribed information about persons included in the register in pursuance of paragraph (a) in respect of things occurring after their inclusion.

(2) Regulations may provide that the register may contain—

(a) prescribed information about children who an English, a Welsh or a Scottish adoption agency is satisfied are suitable for adoption;

(b) prescribed information about prospective adopters who an English, a Welsh or a Scottish adoption agency is satisfied are suitable to adopt a child;

(c) prescribed information about persons included in the register in pursuance of paragraph (a) or (b) in respect of things occurring after their inclusion.

(3) For the purpose of giving assistance in finding persons with whom children may be placed for purposes other than adoption, regulations under this section may—

(a) provide for the register to contain information about such persons and the children who may be placed with them; and

(b) apply any of the other provisions of this group of sections (that is, this section and sections 145 to 151), with or without modifications.

(4) The register is not to be open to public inspection or search (subject to regulations under section 149).

(5) Regulations under this section may make provision about the retention of information in the register.

(6) Information is to be kept in the register in any form the Department considers appropriate.