Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations make provision to enable adoption agencies to pay allowances to persons who have adopted, or intend to adopt, a child in pursuance of arrangements made by such agencies. They replace schemes approved under Article 59(4) of the Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 which are revoked on the coming into operation of Article 59A of that Order.
The Regulations make provision for determining the circumstances in which adoption agencies may pay allowances, including making payment to persons who have been receiving, or have been found eligible to receive, payments under a revoked scheme (regulation 2); for determining the amount of the allowance (regulation 3); for the procedure to be followed by adoption agencies before an adoption order is made in cases other than those where an allowance is being paid under a revoked scheme (regulation 4). This will require adoption agencies to supply information to adopters about allowances (except where an approved adoption society holds itself out as not being an agency which normally pays allowances) and to consider representation from adopters.
The Regulations also make provision for certain information to be supplied to adopters by adoption agencies, for adoption agencies' responsibilities regarding review, variation and termination of allowances after a decision to pay an allowance has been made (regulations 5 and 6); and for information and records of allowances to be placed on the case records kept by adoption agencies under the Adoption Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 and to be treated as confidential in accordance with those Regulations (regulation 7).