Search Legislation

Advanced Search

The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made).

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

    1. 1.Title and commencement

    2. 2.Interpretation

  3. PART II ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADOPTION

    1. The Adoption Service

      1. 3.The Adoption Service

    2. Adoption societies

      1. 4.Registration of adoption societies

      2. 5.Cancellation of registration

      3. 6.Procedure and right of appeal where registration refused or cancelled

      4. 7.Inspection of books, etc., of registered adoption societies

      5. 8.Inactive or defunct adoption societies

    3. Welfare of children

      1. 9.Duty to promote welfare of child

    4. Supplemental

      1. 10.Regulation of adoption agencies

      2. 11.Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing children

  4. PART III ADOPTION ORDERS

    1. The making of adoption orders

      1. 12.Adoption orders

      2. 13.Child to live with adopters before order made

      3. 14.Adoption by married couple

      4. 15.Adoption by one person

      5. 16.Parental agreement

    2. Freeing for adoption

      1. 17.Freeing child for adoption with parental agreement

      2. 18.Freeing child for adoption without parental agreement

      3. 19.Progress reports to former parent

      4. 20.Revocation of order freeing child for adoption

      5. 21.Transfer of parental rights and duties between adoption agencies

    3. Supplemental

      1. 22.Notification to Board of adoption application, where child not placed by adoption agency

      2. 23.Enquiries to be made of Board, where child is to be placed by registered adoption society

      3. 24.Reports to court where child placed by agency

      4. 25.Restrictions on making adoption orders

      5. 26.Interim orders

      6. 27.Care, etc., of child on refusal of adoption order

  5. PART IV CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AWAITING ADOPTION

    1. Restrictions on removal of children

      1. 28.Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under Article 17(1) or 18(1)

      2. 29.Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years

      3. 30.Return of child taken away in breach of Article 28 or 29

      4. 31.Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies

      5. 32.Application of Article 31 where child not placed for adoption

    2. Protected children

      1. 33.Meaning of “protected child”

      2. 34.Duty of Boards to secure well-being of protected children

      3. 35.Removal of protected children from unsuitable surroundings

      4. 36.Notices and information to be given to Boards

      5. 37.Offences relating to protected children

      6. 38.Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children

  6. PART V STATUS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN

    1. 39.Meaning of “adoption” in Part V

    2. 40.Status conferred by adoption

    3. 41.Adoptive relatives

    4. 42.Rules of construction for instruments concerning property

    5. 43.Dispositions depending on date of birth

    6. 44.Property devolving with peerages, etc.

    7. 45.Protection of trustees and personal representatives

    8. 46.Meaning of “disposition”

    9. 47.Miscellaneous

    10. 48.Pensions

    11. 49.Insurance

  7. PART VI REGISTRATION, AMENDMENT AND REVOCATION OF ADOPTION ORDERS

    1. The Adopted Children Register

      1. 50.Adopted Children Register

      2. 51.Registration of adoption orders

      3. 52.Amendment of orders and rectification of Registers

      4. 53.Registration of adoptions made outside Northern Ireland

    2. Disclosure of records

      1. 54.Disclosure of birth records of adopted children

    3. Revocation of certain adoptions

      1. 55.Revocation of adoptions on legitimation

    4. Regulations

      1. 56.Regulations for purposes of Part VI

  8. PART VII MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL

    1. Miscellaneous provisions

      1. 57.Adoption by persons domiciled outside Northern Ireland

      2. 58.Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Northern Ireland

      3. 59.Prohibition on certain payments

      4. 60.Restriction on advertisements

      5. 61.Prohibition of wrongful disclosure of information

    2. Evidence and procedure

      1. 62.Evidence of agreement and consent

      2. 63.Evidence of adoptions, etc.

      3. 64.Removal of proceedings and appeals

      4. 65.Proceedings to be in private

      5. 66.Guardians ad litem

      6. 67.Adoption rules

    3. Supplemental

      1. 68.Regulations

      2. 69.Inquiries

      3. 70.Power of Department to conduct or assist research

      4. 71.Inspection

      5. 72.Transitional provisions, savings, amendments and repeals

  9. Signature

  10. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      APPEAL TRIBUNALS

      1. 1.Constitution

      2. 2.An officer of a government department shall not be appointed...

      3. 3.Any decision of an Appeal Tribunal shall be made by...

      4. 4.The Department may nominate one of its officers to act...

      5. 5.Procedure

      6. 6.Costs

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      FORM OF ENTRY IN ADOPTED CHILDREN REGISTER

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND SAVINGS

      1. 1.Where any period of time specified in a statutory provision...

      2. 2.(1) An interim order made under section 8 of the...

      3. 3.Any register, or index to a register, kept under the...

      4. 4.(1) Article 40— (a) does not apply to an existing...

      5. 5.The reference in Article 58(1) to an order under Article...

      6. 6.The provisions of this Schedule shall have effect without prejudice...

      7. 7.In this Schedule “commencement date” for the purpose of any...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      AMENDMENTS

      1. 1.Ministerial Salaries and Members' Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 1965 (c. 18)

      2. 2.Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (c. 34)

      3. 3.In section 100(1)(d) for “section 14 of the Adoption Act...

      4. 4.In section 151(1) for “the Adoption Act (Northern Ireland) 1967”...

      5. 5.In section 165— (a) in subsection (1) for “Part II...

      6. 6.Adoption (Hague Convention) Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 (c. 22)

      7. 7.In section 5(1) for “or a specified country having power...

      8. 8.In section 8— (a) in subsection (1) for “section 24...

      9. 9.In section 9(3) for “6” substitute “1 or 6”.

      10. 10.In section 12— (a) insert the following definitions— “adoption order”...

      11. 11.Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (1972 NI 14)

      12. 12.After Article 87(2) insert— (2A) There shall be paid by...

      13. 13.Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (1976 NI 14)

      14. 14.In Article 37(1) for “section 25 of the Adoption Act...

      15. 15.Family Law Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (1977 NI 17)

      16. 16.Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (1981 NI 3)

      17. 17.Child Absuction (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (1985 NI 17)

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      REPEALS

      1. PART I STATUS OF ADOPTED CHILD

      2. PART II OTHER PROVISIONS

  11. Explanatory Note

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources