Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Prospective

47.—(1) Article 85ZS (entitlement: prospective adopters with whom looked after children are placed) is amended as follows. N.I.

(2) In paragraph (1)—

(a) for the words “an approved foster parent and an approved prospective adopter” substitute “approved as an authority foster parent and approved as a prospective adopter”;

(b) omit “who is looked after by it”;

(c) omit “, in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (2),”;

(d) for “Article 27(2)(a)” substitute “Article 27”.

(3) Omit paragraph (2).

(4) In paragraph (3), for the words from “references” in the first place it occurs to the end substitute

“—

(a) references to adoption or placement for adoption were references to placement of a child under Article 27 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 with a person who is approved as an authority foster parent and who is approved as a prospective adopter;

(b) references to placing for adoption were references to placing a child under Article 27 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 with a person who is approved as an authority foster parent and who is approved as a prospective adopter;

(c) references to an adoption agency were references to an authority.”.

(5) In paragraph (4), for “as referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2)” substitute “under Article 27 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 with a person who is approved as an authority foster parent and approved as a prospective adopter”.

(6) In paragraph (5)—

(a) for the definitions of “approved foster parent” and “approved prospective adopter” substitute—

““approved as an authority foster parent” and approved as a prospective adopter” have the meanings given by Article 27(9D) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;”;

(b) omit the definition of “child who is looked after by an authority”.

(7) Omit paragraph (6).

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 3 para. 47 not in operation at Royal Assent, see s. 160(1)