Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

1. Introduction

2. Background and Policy Objectives

   1. Changes to the Adoption Service

3. Overview

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1 - Adoption

      1. Chapter 1 – Introductory

         1. Section 1: Considerations applying to the exercise of powers

      2. Chapter 2 – The Adoption Service

         1. Section 2: Basic definitions

         2. Section 3: Adoption authority

         3. Section 4: The Adoption Service

         4. Section 5: Assessments etc. for adoption support services

         5. Section 6: Adoption Support services: duty to provide information

         6. Section 7: Arrangements on cancellation of registration

         7. Section 8: Inactive or defunct adoption societies, etc.

         8. Section 9: General power to regulate adoption agencies

         9. Section 10: Management, etc., of agencies

         10. Section 11: Fees

         11. Section 12: Independent review of qualifying determinations of adoption agencies

         12. Section 13: Information concerning adoption

         13. Section 14: Inspection of premises, etc.

      3. Chapter 3 - Placement for Adoption and Adoption Orders

         1. Section 15: Placement for adoption by agencies

         2. Section 16: Placing children with parental consent

         3. Section 17: Advance consent to adoption

         4. Section 18: Placement orders

         5. Section 19: Applications for placement orders

         6. Section 20: Varying placement orders

         7. Section 21: Revoking placement orders

         8. Section 22: Parental responsibility

         9. Section 23: Contact

         10. Section 24: Contact: supplementary

         11. Section 25: Further consequences of placement

         12. Section 26: Further consequences of placement orders

         13. Removal provisions

             1. Section 27: General prohibitions on removal

             2. Section 28: Recovery by parent etc. where child not placed or is a baby

             3. Section 29: Recovery by parent etc. where child placed and consent withdrawn

             4. Section 30: Recovery by parent etc. where child placed and placement order refused

             5. Section 31: Placement orders: prohibition on removal

             6. Section 32: Return of child in other cases

         14. Sections 33 to 37: Removal of children in non-agency cases

         15. Section 33: Restrictions on removal

         16. Section 34: Applications for adoption

         17. Section 35: Authority foster parents

         18. Section 36: Partners of parents

         19. Section 37: Other non-agency cases

         20. Section 38: Recovery orders

         21. Section 39: Child to live with adopters before application

         22. Section 40: Reports where child placed by agency

         23. Section 41: Notice of intention to adopt

         24. Section 42: Suitability of adopters

         25. Section 43: Adoption orders

         26. Section 44: Conditions for making adoption orders

         27. Section 45: Restrictions on making adoption orders

         28. Section 46: Applications for adoption

         29. Section 47: Adoption by couple

         30. Section 48: Adoption by one person

         31. Section 49: Post–adoption contact

         32. Section 50: Orders under section 49: supplementary

         33. Section 51: Parental etc. consent

         34. Section 52: Modification of Children Order in relation to adoption

         35. Section 53: Disclosing information to prospective adopters

         36. Section 54: Revocation of adoptions on legitimation

         37. Sections 55 to 64: Disclosure of information about a person’s adoption

         38. Section 55: Information to be kept about a person's adoption

         39. Section 56: Restrictions on disclosure of protected etc. information

         40. Section 57: Disclosure of other information

         41. Section 58: Offence

         42. Section 59: Disclosing information to adopted adult

         43. Section 60: Disclosing protected information about adults

         44. Section 61: Disclosing protected information about children

         45. Section 62: Counselling

         46. Section 63: Other provision to be made by regulations

         47. Section 64: Sections 55–64: Interpretation

      4. Chapter 4 - Status of Adopted Children

         1. Section 65: Meaning of adoption in Chapter 4

         2. Section 66: Status conferred by adoption

         3. Section 67: Adoptive relatives

         4. Section 68: Rules of interpretation for instruments concerning property

         5. Section 69: Dispositions depending on date of birth

         6. Section 70: Property devolving with peerages etc.

         7. Section 71: Protection of trustees and personal representatives

         8. Section 72: Meaning of disposition

         9. Section 73: Miscellaneous

         10. Section 74: Pensions

         11. Section 75: Insurance

      5. Chapter 5 – Registers

         1. Section 76: Adopted Children Register

         2. Section 77: Searches and copies

         3. Section 78: Connections between the register and birth records

         4. Section 79: Adoption Contact Register

         5. Section 80: Adoption Contact Register: supplementary

         6. Section 81: Interpretation

      6. Chapter 6 - Adoptions with a Foreign Element

         1. Section 82: Restriction on bringing children in

         2. Section 83: Giving parental responsibility prior to adoption abroad

         3. Section 84: Restriction on taking children out

         4. Section 85: Power to modify sections 82 and 84

         5. Section 86: Declaration of special restrictions on adoptions from abroad

         6. Section 87: Review

         7. Section 88: The special restrictions

         8. Cause 89: Imposition of extra conditions in certain cases

         9. Section 90: Overseas adoptions

         10. Section 91: Modification of section 66 for Hague Convention adoptions

         11. Section 92: Annulment etc. of overseas or Hague Convention adoptions

         12. Section 93: Section 92: supplementary

         13. Section 94: Overseas determinations and orders

         14. Section 95: Power to charge

      7. Chapter 7 - Miscellaneous

         1. Section 96: Restriction on arranging adoptions etc.

         2. Section 97: Offence of breaching restrictions under section 96

         3. Section 98: Restriction on reports

         4. Section 99: Prohibition of certain payments

         5. Section 100: Excepted payments

         6. Section 101: Sections 96 to 100: interpretation

         7. Section 102: Pre-commencement adoptions: information

         8. Section 103: Proceedings for offences

         9. Section 104: Appeals

         10. Section 105: Privacy

         11. Section 106: Children’s court guardians

         12. Section 107: Right of access to adoption agency records

         13. Section 108: Evidence of consent

         14. Section 109: Effect of certain Scottish orders and provisions

         15. Section 110: Effect of certain orders made in England and Wales

         16. Section 111: Use of adoption records from Great Britain, etc.

         17. Section 112: Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

         18. Section 113: Avoiding delay

         19. Section 114: Service of notices etc.

         20. Section 115: Jurisdiction of courts

   2. Part 2 – Children Order Amendments

      1. Section 116: Definition of family proceedings

      2. Section 117: Article 8 orders: authority foster parents

      3. Section 118:  Duration of residence orders

      4. Section 119: Special guardianship

      5. Section 120: Ascertainment of children’s wishes

      6. Section 121: Provision of services to children in need, etc.

      7. Section 122: Duty of authorities to promote etc. achievement, learning and development, and to prevent disruption to education or training

      8. Section 123 – Corporate parenting principles

      9. Section 124: Placement of looked after children with prospective adopters

      10. Section 125: Accommodation for children: requirements

      11. Section 126: Authority foster parents

      12. Section 127: Duty to ensure visits to and advice etc. for children

      13. Section 128: Former relevant children: continuing functions

      14. Section 129: Local offer for care leavers

      15. Section 130: Inquiries into representations

      16. Section 131: Review of cases of looked after children

      17. Section 132: Independent advocacy services

      18. Section 133: Definition of harm

      19. Section 134: Care plans

      20. Section 135: Contact: children in care of authority

      21. Section 136: Persons authorised to act as children’s court guardian

      22. Section 137: Renaming of guardians ad litem

      23. Section 138: Interests of children in proceedings

      24. Section 139: Definition of privately fostered child

      25. Section 140: Welfare of children who will be privately fostered

      26. Section 141: Notification of fostering: public awareness

      27. Section 142: Privacy for children in proceedings

      28. Section 143: Report on the operation of the Children Order

   3. Part 3 – Miscellaneous and Supplementary

      1. Section 144: Northern Ireland Adoption and Children Act Register

      2. Section 145: Use of an organisation to establish the register

      3. Section 146: Use of an organisation as an agency for payments

      4. Section 147: Supply of information for the register

      5. Section 148: Disclosure of information

      6. Section 149: Search and inspection of the register by prospective adopters

      7. Section 150: Search and inspection of the register by adoption agencies

      8. Section 151: Supplementary

      9. Section 152: Time limit within which proceedings may be brought

      10. Section 153: Research and investigations

      11. Section 154: Amendments, transitional and transitory provisions, savings and repeals

      12. Section 155: Regulations and orders

      13. Section 156: Rules of court

      14. Section 157: Supplementary and consequential provision

      15. Section 158: Review

      16. Section 159: Interpretation

      17. Section 160: Commencement

      18. Section 161: Short title

5. Schedules

   1. Schedule 1: Registration of Adoptions

   2. Schedule 2: Disclosure of Birth Records by Registrar General

   3. Schedule 3: Minor and consequential amendments

   4. Schedule 4: Transitional and transitory provisions and savings

   5. Schedule 5: Repeals

6. Hansard Reports