Part 1Adoption
Chapter 1The adoption service
The adoption service
I11Duty of local authority to provide adoption service
1
Each local authority must—
a
to the extent that it already provides an adoption service in its area, continue to do so, and
b
to the extent that it does not provide such a service in its area, provide such a service there.
2
In this Act, “adoption service” means services designed to meet the needs, in relation to adoption, of persons mentioned in subsection (3).
3
Those persons are—
a
children who may be adopted
b
persons who have been adopted,
c
parents and guardians of children mentioned in paragraph (a),
d
natural parents of persons who have been adopted,
e
persons who, before the placing of a child for adoption or the adoption of a child, treated the child as their child,
f
siblings (whether of the whole-blood or half-blood), natural grandparents and former guardians of—
i
children mentioned in paragraph (a), or
ii
persons mentioned in paragraph (b),
g
persons who may adopt a child,
h
persons who have adopted a child,
i
in relation to persons mentioned in paragraph (g) or (h), children of, or children treated as children of, such persons, and
j
any other persons who are—
i
affected by the placing, or proposed placing, of a child for adoption, or
ii
affected by an adoption.
4
An adoption service includes, in particular, services consisting of or including—
a
arrangements for assessing children who may be adopted,
b
arrangements for assessing prospective adopters,
c
arrangements for placing children for adoption,
d
the provision of information about adoption to any of the persons mentioned in subsection (3), and
e
adoption support services.
5
In this Act, “adoption support services” means services consisting of or including the provision of—
a
counselling to any of the persons mentioned in subsection (3),
b
guidance about adoption to such persons,
c
any other assistance in relation to the adoption process that the local authority providing an adoption service in a particular case considers appropriate in the circumstances of that case.