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PART IN.I.INTRODUCTORY

InterpretationN.I.

2.—(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954F1 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(2) In this Order—

[F14(2A) A reference to any provision of this Order to an “ [F15HSC trust]” is a reference to a [F30Health and Social Care trust] [F31that is exercising social care and children functions within the meaning of Article 10A of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.]

(2B) In paragraph (2A) “ [F30Health and Social Care trust]” means a body established under Article 10(1) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.

(2C) A reference in this Order to the area of an [F15HSC trust] is a reference to the operational area of that trust as defined in Article 2(2) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972

F32(2D)] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) For the purposes of this Order, a person shall be deemed to make arrangements for the adoption of a child or to take part in arrangements for[F33 placing a child with] a person if—

(a)he enters into or makes any agreement or arrangement for, or for facilitating, the adoption of the child by any other person, whether the adoption is effected, or is intended to be effected, in pursuance of an adoption order, an order under Article 57 or otherwise; or

(b)he enters into or makes any agreement or arrangement for, or facilitates, the[F34 placing of the child with] that other person;

or if he initiates or takes part in any negotiations of which the purpose or effect is the conclusion of any agreement or the making of any arrangement therefor, or if he causes another person to do so.

[F12(3A) In this Order, in relation to the proposed adoption of a child resident outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, references to arrangements for the adoption of a child include references to arrangements for an assessment for the purpose of indicating whether a person is suitable to adopt a child or not.

(3B) In this Order, in relation to—

(a)an adoption proposed to be effected by a Convention adoption order; or

(b)an adoption of a child habitually resident outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man which is proposed to be effected by an adoption order other than a Convention adoption order,

references to a child placed with any persons by an adoption agency include references to a child who, in pursuance of arrangements made by such an agency, has been adopted by or placed with those persons under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.]

[F35(4) In this Order, in determining what person, or where, a child has his home, any absence of the child at a hospital or at a school providing accommodation for him and any other temporary absence shall be disregarded.

(5) In this Order references to a child who is in the care of or looked after by [F36an] [F15HSC trust] have the same meaning as in the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.]

[F37(6) In this Order “a couple” means—

(a)a married couple,

(b)two people who are civil partners of each other, or

(c)two people (whether of different sexes or the same sex) living as partners in an enduring family relationship.

(7) Paragraph (6)(c) does not include two people one of whom is the other’s parent, grandparent, sister, brother, aunt or uncle.

(8) References to relationships in paragraph (7)—

(a)are to relationships of the full blood or half blood or, in the case of an adopted person, such of those relationships as would exist but for adoption, and

(b)include the relationship of a child with the child’s adoptive, or former adoptive, parents,

but do not include any other adoptive relationships.]

F4Art. 2(2): words in the definition of "adoption agency" substituted (15.7.2011) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1740), arts. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 11(2)(a)

F17Art. 2(2): words in the definition of "order freeing a child for adoption" substituted (15.7.2011) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1740), arts. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 11(2)(c)

F18Art. 2(2): words in the definition of "overseas adoption" substituted (15.7.2011) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1740), arts. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 11(2)(d)

F22Words in definition of "prescribed" in art. 2(2) inserted (16.11.2012) by Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 20), ss. 25(2), 34; S.R. 2012/406, art. 2, Sch.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Art. 2(2): definition of "order freeing a child for adoption" modified (temp. from 2.11.2010 to 2.7.2011) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2469), arts. 5(a), 6