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.