3.—(1) Every Board shall establish and maintain within its area a service designed to meet the needs, in relation to adoption, of—
(a)children who have been or may be adopted;
(b)parents and guardians of such children; and
(c)persons who have adopted or may adopt a child,
and for that purpose shall provide the requisite facilities, or secure that they are provided by registered adoption societies.
(2) The facilities to be provided as part of the service maintained under paragraph (1) include—
(a)temporary board and lodging where needed by pregnant women, mothers or children;
(b)arrangements for assessing children and prospective adopters, and placing children for adoption;
(c)counselling for persons with problems relating to adoption.
(3) The service maintained by Boards under paragraph (1) may be collectively referred to as “the Adoption Service”, and a Board or a registered adoption society may be referred to as an adoption agency.