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The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

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This is the original version (as it was originally made).

Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing children

11.—(1) A person other than an adoption agency shall not make arrangements for the adoption of a child, or place a child for adoption, unless—

(a)he is a parent of the child and the proposed adopter, or one of the proposed adopters, is a relative of the child; or

(b)he is acting in pursuance of an order of the High Court.

(2) An adoption society approved as respects England and Wales under section 3 of the Adoption Act 1976(1). or as respects Scotland under section 3 of the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978(2), but which is not registered under Article 4, shall not act as an adoption society in Northern Ireland except to the extent that the society considers it necessary to do so in the interests of a person mentioned in section 1 of that Act of 1976 or, as the case may be, section 1 of that Act of 1978.

(3) A person who—

(a)takes part in the management or control of a body of persons which exists wholly or partly for the purpose of making arrangements for the adoption of children and which is not an adoption agency; or

(b)contravenes paragraph (1); or

(c)receives a child placed with him in contravention of paragraph (1);

shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

(4) In any proceedings for an offence under paragraph (3)(a) proof of things done or of words written, spoken, or published (whether or not in the presence of any party to the proceedings) by any person taking part in the management or control of a body of persons, or in making arrangements for the adoption of children on behalf of the body, shall be admissible as evidence of the purpose for which that body exists.

(5) Article 27 shall apply where a person is convicted of an offence consisting of a contravention of paragraph (1) as it applies where an application for an adoption order is refused.

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