Adoption Act 1976
Part I The Adoption Service
The Adoption Service
1 Establishment of Adoption Service.
2 Local authorities’ social services.
Adoption societies
3 Approval of adoption societies.
4 Withdrawal of approval.
5 Procedure on refusal to approve, or withdrawal of approval from, adoption societies.
Welfare of children
6 Duty to promote welfare of child.
7 Religious upbringing of adopted child.
Supplemental
8 Inactive or defunct adoption societies.
9 Regulation of adoption agencies.
9A Independent review of determinations
10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing of children.
Part II Adoption Orders
The making of adoption orders
12 Adoption orders.
13 Child to live with adopters before order made.
14 Adoption by married couple.
15 Adoption by one person.
16 Parental agreement.
17 Convention adoption orders.
Freeing for adoption
18Freeing child for adoption.
19Progress reports to former parent.
20Revocation of s. 18 order.
21Variation of section 18 order so as to substitute one adoption agency for another.
Supplemental
22 Notification to local authority of adoption application.
23 Reports where child placed by agency.
24 Restrictions on making adoption orders.
25 Interim orders.
26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Part III Care and Protection of Children Awaiting Adoption
Restrictions on removal of children
27 Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under s. 18.
28 Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years.
29 Return of child taken away in breach of s. 27 or 28.
30 Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies.
31 Application of s. 30 where child not placed for adoption.
Protected children
32 Meaning of “protected child”.
33 Duty of local authorities to secure well-being of protected children.
34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35 Notices and information to be given to local authorities.
36 Offences relating to protected children.
37 Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children.
Part IV Status of Adopted Children
38 Meaning of “adoption” in Part IV.
39 Status conferred by adoption.
40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41 Adoptive relatives.
42 Rules of construction for instruments concerning property.
43 Dispositions depending on date of birth.
44 Property devolving with peerages etc.
45 Protection of trustees and personal representatives.
46 Meaning of “disposition”.
47 Miscellaneous enactments.
48 Pensions.
49 Insurance.
Part V Registration and Revocation of Adoption Orders andConvention Adoptions
50 Adopted Children Register.
51 Disclosure of birth records of adopted children.
51A Adoption Contact Register.
52 Revocation of adoptions on legitimation.
53 Annulment etc. of overseas adoptions.
54 Provisions supplementary to ss. 52(3) and 53.
Part VI Miscellaneous and Supplemental
55 Adoption of children abroad.
56 Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Great Britain.
56A Restriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom
57 Prohibition on certain payments.
57A Permitted allowances.
58 Restriction on advertisements.
58A Information concerning adoption.
59 Effect of determination and orders made in Scotland and overseas in adoption proceedings.
60 Evidence of adoption in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
61 Evidence of agreement and consent.
62 Courts.
63 Appeals etc.
64 Proceedings to be in private.
65Duties of officers of the Service
65A Miscellaneous and Supplemental
66 Rules of procedure.
67 Orders, rules and regulations.
68 Offences by bodies corporate.
69 Services of notices etc.
70 Nationality.
71 Internal law of a country.
72 Interpretation.
73 Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals.
74 Short title, commencement and extent.
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 1 Registration of Adoptions
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SCHEDULE 2 Transitional Provisions and Savings
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Rights relating to property
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SCHEDULE 3Consequential Amendments
Consequential Amendments
—3 Consequential Amendments
Consequential Amendments
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, 13 Consequential Amendments
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—44 Consequential Amendments
SCHEDULE 4Repeals

Adoption Act 1976

1976 c. 36

An Act to consolidate the enactments having effect in England and Wales in relation to adoption.

Annotations:
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C2

By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch.1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.

C3

Act applied (with modifications) (1.11.1994) by S.I. 1994/2767, reg. 2

Act: modified (prosp.) by 1999 c. 18, ss. 17, 18(3)