Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Explanatory Notes

  • Nodiadau Esboniadol Tabl o’r Cynnwys

  1. Introduction

  2. Background and Policy Objectives

    1. Changes to the Adoption Service

  3. Overview

  4. Commentary on Sections

    1. Part 1 - Adoption

      1. Chapter 1 – Introductory

        1. Section 1: Considerations applying to the exercise of powers

      2. Chapter 2 – The Adoption Service

        1. Section 2: Basic definitions

        2. Section 3: Adoption authority

        3. Section 4: The Adoption Service

        4. Section 5: Assessments etc. for adoption support services

        5. Section 6: Adoption Support services: duty to provide information

        6. Section 7: Arrangements on cancellation of registration

        7. Section 8: Inactive or defunct adoption societies, etc.

        8. Section 9: General power to regulate adoption agencies

        9. Section 10: Management, etc., of agencies

        10. Section 11: Fees

        11. Section 12: Independent review of qualifying determinations of adoption agencies

        12. Section 13: Information concerning adoption

        13. Section 14: Inspection of premises, etc.

      3. Chapter 3 - Placement for Adoption and Adoption Orders

        1. Section 15: Placement for adoption by agencies

        2. Section 16: Placing children with parental consent

        3. Section 17: Advance consent to adoption

        4. Section 18: Placement orders

        5. Section 19: Applications for placement orders

        6. Section 20: Varying placement orders

        7. Section 21: Revoking placement orders

        8. Section 22: Parental responsibility

        9. Section 23: Contact

        10. Section 24: Contact: supplementary

        11. Section 25: Further consequences of placement

        12. Section 26: Further consequences of placement orders

        13. Removal provisions

          1. Section 27: General prohibitions on removal

          2. Section 28: Recovery by parent etc. where child not placed or is a baby

          3. Section 29: Recovery by parent etc. where child placed and consent withdrawn

          4. Section 30: Recovery by parent etc. where child placed and placement order refused

          5. Section 31: Placement orders: prohibition on removal

          6. Section 32: Return of child in other cases

        14. Sections 33 to 37: Removal of children in non-agency cases

        15. Section 33: Restrictions on removal

        16. Section 34: Applications for adoption

        17. Section 35: Authority foster parents

        18. Section 36: Partners of parents

        19. Section 37: Other non-agency cases

        20. Section 38: Recovery orders

        21. Section 39: Child to live with adopters before application

        22. Section 40: Reports where child placed by agency

        23. Section 41: Notice of intention to adopt

        24. Section 42: Suitability of adopters

        25. Section 43: Adoption orders

        26. Section 44: Conditions for making adoption orders

        27. Section 45: Restrictions on making adoption orders

        28. Section 46: Applications for adoption

        29. Section 47: Adoption by couple

        30. Section 48: Adoption by one person

        31. Section 49: Post–adoption contact

        32. Section 50: Orders under section 49: supplementary

        33. Section 51: Parental etc. consent

        34. Section 52: Modification of Children Order in relation to adoption

        35. Section 53: Disclosing information to prospective adopters

        36. Section 54: Revocation of adoptions on legitimation

        37. Sections 55 to 64: Disclosure of information about a person’s adoption

        38. Section 55: Information to be kept about a person's adoption

        39. Section 56: Restrictions on disclosure of protected etc. information

        40. Section 57: Disclosure of other information

        41. Section 58: Offence

        42. Section 59: Disclosing information to adopted adult

        43. Section 60: Disclosing protected information about adults

        44. Section 61: Disclosing protected information about children

        45. Section 62: Counselling

        46. Section 63: Other provision to be made by regulations

        47. Section 64: Sections 55–64: Interpretation

      4. Chapter 4 - Status of Adopted Children

        1. Section 65: Meaning of adoption in Chapter 4

        2. Section 66: Status conferred by adoption

        3. Section 67: Adoptive relatives

        4. Section 68: Rules of interpretation for instruments concerning property

        5. Section 69: Dispositions depending on date of birth

        6. Section 70: Property devolving with peerages etc.

        7. Section 71: Protection of trustees and personal representatives

        8. Section 72: Meaning of disposition

        9. Section 73: Miscellaneous

        10. Section 74: Pensions

        11. Section 75: Insurance

      5. Chapter 5 – Registers

        1. Section 76: Adopted Children Register

        2. Section 77: Searches and copies

        3. Section 78: Connections between the register and birth records

        4. Section 79: Adoption Contact Register

        5. Section 80: Adoption Contact Register: supplementary

        6. Section 81: Interpretation

      6. Chapter 6 - Adoptions with a Foreign Element

        1. Section 82: Restriction on bringing children in

        2. Section 83: Giving parental responsibility prior to adoption abroad

        3. Section 84: Restriction on taking children out

        4. Section 85: Power to modify sections 82 and 84

        5. Section 86: Declaration of special restrictions on adoptions from abroad

        6. Section 87: Review

        7. Section 88: The special restrictions

        8. Cause 89: Imposition of extra conditions in certain cases

        9. Section 90: Overseas adoptions

        10. Section 91: Modification of section 66 for Hague Convention adoptions

        11. Section 92: Annulment etc. of overseas or Hague Convention adoptions

        12. Section 93: Section 92: supplementary

        13. Section 94: Overseas determinations and orders

        14. Section 95: Power to charge

      7. Chapter 7 - Miscellaneous

        1. Section 96: Restriction on arranging adoptions etc.

        2. Section 97: Offence of breaching restrictions under section 96

        3. Section 98: Restriction on reports

        4. Section 99: Prohibition of certain payments

        5. Section 100: Excepted payments

        6. Section 101: Sections 96 to 100: interpretation

        7. Section 102: Pre-commencement adoptions: information

        8. Section 103: Proceedings for offences

        9. Section 104: Appeals

        10. Section 105: Privacy

        11. Section 106: Children’s court guardians

        12. Section 107: Right of access to adoption agency records

        13. Section 108: Evidence of consent

        14. Section 109: Effect of certain Scottish orders and provisions

        15. Section 110: Effect of certain orders made in England and Wales

        16. Section 111: Use of adoption records from Great Britain, etc.

        17. Section 112: Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

        18. Section 113: Avoiding delay

        19. Section 114: Service of notices etc.

        20. Section 115: Jurisdiction of courts

    2. Part 2 – Children Order Amendments

      1. Section 116: Definition of family proceedings

      2. Section 117: Article 8 orders: authority foster parents

      3. Section 118:  Duration of residence orders

      4. Section 119: Special guardianship

      5. Section 120: Ascertainment of children’s wishes

      6. Section 121: Provision of services to children in need, etc.

      7. Section 122: Duty of authorities to promote etc. achievement, learning and development, and to prevent disruption to education or training

      8. Section 123 – Corporate parenting principles

      9. Section 124: Placement of looked after children with prospective adopters

      10. Section 125: Accommodation for children: requirements

      11. Section 126: Authority foster parents

      12. Section 127: Duty to ensure visits to and advice etc. for children

      13. Section 128: Former relevant children: continuing functions

      14. Section 129: Local offer for care leavers

      15. Section 130: Inquiries into representations

      16. Section 131: Review of cases of looked after children

      17. Section 132: Independent advocacy services

      18. Section 133: Definition of harm

      19. Section 134: Care plans

      20. Section 135: Contact: children in care of authority

      21. Section 136: Persons authorised to act as children’s court guardian

      22. Section 137: Renaming of guardians ad litem

      23. Section 138: Interests of children in proceedings

      24. Section 139: Definition of privately fostered child

      25. Section 140: Welfare of children who will be privately fostered

      26. Section 141: Notification of fostering: public awareness

      27. Section 142: Privacy for children in proceedings

      28. Section 143: Report on the operation of the Children Order

    3. Part 3 – Miscellaneous and Supplementary

      1. Section 144: Northern Ireland Adoption and Children Act Register

      2. Section 145: Use of an organisation to establish the register

      3. Section 146: Use of an organisation as an agency for payments

      4. Section 147: Supply of information for the register

      5. Section 148: Disclosure of information

      6. Section 149: Search and inspection of the register by prospective adopters

      7. Section 150: Search and inspection of the register by adoption agencies

      8. Section 151: Supplementary

      9. Section 152: Time limit within which proceedings may be brought

      10. Section 153: Research and investigations

      11. Section 154: Amendments, transitional and transitory provisions, savings and repeals

      12. Section 155: Regulations and orders

      13. Section 156: Rules of court

      14. Section 157: Supplementary and consequential provision

      15. Section 158: Review

      16. Section 159: Interpretation

      17. Section 160: Commencement

      18. Section 161: Short title

  5. Schedules

    1. Schedule 1: Registration of Adoptions

    2. Schedule 2: Disclosure of Birth Records by Registrar General

    3. Schedule 3: Minor and consequential amendments

    4. Schedule 4: Transitional and transitory provisions and savings

    5. Schedule 5: Repeals

  6. Hansard Reports

  • Nodiadau Esboniadol Tabl o’r Cynnwys

Back to top