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Adoption Act 1976

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Adoption Act 1976 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 17 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

  • Blanket Amendment words substituted by 2005 c. 4 Sch. 11 para. 1(2) (Amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The relevant references were repealed before the amendment came into force.)

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

  • s. 3(6A)(6B) inserted by 1999 c. 18 s. 10 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 10 repealed (30.4.2003 for W., 1.6.2003 for E.) without ever being in force by 2000 c. 14, ss. 117(2), 122, Sch. 6; S.I. 2003/501, art. 2(3)(b); S.I. 2003/365, art. 3(6)(a))
  • s. 13(4) inserted by 1999 c. 18 s. 11 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 11 ceases to have effect (E.W.) (30.12.2005) by virtue of 2002 c. 38, ss. 139, 148(1), Sch. 3 para. 95 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(o))
  • s. 52(1)(c) power to extend conferred by 2002 c. 38 Sch. 4 para. 16(1)(a)
  • s. 52(1A) inserted by 2002 c. 38 Sch. 4 para. 15(a)
  • s. 56(4)-(6) inserted by 2002 c. 38 Sch. 4 para. 11(b)

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I The Adoption Service

    1. The Adoption Service

      1. 1. Establishment of Adoption Service.

      2. 2. Local authorities’ social services.

    2. Adoption societies

      1. 3. Approval of adoption societies.

      2. 4. Withdrawal of approval.

      3. 5. Procedure on refusal to approve, or withdrawal of approval from, adoption societies.

    3. Welfare of children

      1. 6. Duty to promote welfare of child.

      2. 7. Religious upbringing of adopted child.

    4. Supplemental

      1. 8. Inactive or defunct adoption societies.

      2. 9. Regulation of adoption agencies.

      3. 9A. Independent review of determinations

      4. 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 11. Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing of children.

  3. Part II Adoption Orders

    1. The making of adoption orders

      1. 12. Adoption orders.

      2. 13. Child to live with adopters before order made.

      3. 14. Adoption by married couple.

      4. 15. Adoption by one person.

      5. 16. Parental agreement.

      6. 17. Convention adoption orders.

    2. Freeing for adoption

      1. 18.Freeing child for adoption.

      2. 19.Progress reports to former parent.

      3. 20.Revocation of s. 18 order.

      4. 21.Variation of section 18 order so as to substitute one adoption agency for another.

    3. Supplemental

      1. 22. Notification to local authority of adoption application.

      2. 23. Reports where child placed by agency.

      3. 24. Restrictions on making adoption orders.

      4. 25. Interim orders.

      5. 26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  4. Part III Care and Protection of Children Awaiting Adoption

    1. Restrictions on removal of children

      1. 27. Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under s. 18.

      2. 28. Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years.

      3. 29. Return of child taken away in breach of s. 27 or 28.

      4. 30. Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies.

      5. 31. Application of s. 30 where child not placed for adoption.

    2. Protected children

      1. 32. Meaning of “protected child”.

      2. 33. Duty of local authorities to secure well-being of protected children.

      3. 34.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 35. Notices and information to be given to local authorities.

      5. 36. Offences relating to protected children.

      6. 37. Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children.

  5. Part IV Status of Adopted Children

    1. 38. Meaning of “adoption” in Part IV.

    2. 39. Status conferred by adoption.

    3. 40.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    4. 41. Adoptive relatives.

    5. 42. Rules of construction for instruments concerning property.

    6. 43. Dispositions depending on date of birth.

    7. 44. Property devolving with peerages etc.

    8. 45. Protection of trustees and personal representatives.

    9. 46. Meaning of “disposition”.

    10. 47. Miscellaneous enactments.

    11. 48. Pensions.

    12. 49. Insurance.

  6. Part V Registration and Revocation of Adoption Orders andConvention Adoptions

    1. 50. Adopted Children Register.

    2. 51. Disclosure of birth records of adopted children.

    3. 51A. Adoption Contact Register.

    4. 52. Revocation of adoptions on legitimation.

    5. 53. Annulment etc. of overseas adoptions.

    6. 54. Provisions supplementary to ss. 52(3) and 53.

  7. Part VI Miscellaneous and Supplemental

    1. 55. Adoption of children abroad.

    2. 56. Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Great Britain.

    3. 56A. Restriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom

    4. 57. Prohibition on certain payments.

    5. 57A. Permitted allowances.

    6. 58. Restriction on advertisements.

    7. 58A. Information concerning adoption.

    8. 59. Effect of determination and orders made in Scotland and overseas in adoption proceedings.

    9. 60. Evidence of adoption in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    10. 61. Evidence of agreement and consent.

    11. 62. Courts.

    12. 63. Appeals etc.

    13. 64. Proceedings to be in private.

    14. 65.Duties of officers of the Service

    15. 65A. Miscellaneous and Supplemental

    16. 66. Rules of procedure.

    17. 67. Orders, rules and regulations.

    18. 68. Offences by bodies corporate.

    19. 69. Services of notices etc.

    20. 70. Nationality.

    21. 71. Internal law of a country.

    22. 72. Interpretation.

    23. 73. Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals.

    24. 74. Short title, commencement and extent.

  8. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Registration of Adoptions

      1. 1.. . . . . . . . . ....

      2. 2.. . . . . . . . . ....

      3. 3.. . . . . . . . . ....

      4. 4.. . . . . . . . . ....

      5. 5.. . . . . . . . . ....

      6. 6.. . . . . . . . . ....

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Transitional Provisions and Savings

      1. 1.. . . . . . . . . ....

      2. 2.. . . . . . . . . ....

      3. 3.. . . . . . . . . ....

      4. 4.. . . . . . . . . ....

      5. 5.. . . . . . . . . ....

      6. Rights relating to property

        1. 6.(1) Section 39— (a) does not apply to an existing...

      7. 7.. . . . . . . . . ....

      8. 8.. . . . . . . . . ....

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Consequential Amendments

      1. Consequential Amendments

        1. —3. Consequential Amendments

        2. Consequential Amendments

        3. , 6. Consequential Amendments

        4. Consequential Amendments

        5. Consequential Amendments

        6. Consequential Amendments

        7. Consequential Amendments

        8. Consequential Amendments

        9. , 13. Consequential Amendments

        10. Consequential Amendments

        11. Consequential Amendments

        12. Consequential Amendments

        13. Consequential Amendments

        14. Consequential Amendments

        15. Consequential Amendments

        16. Consequential Amendments

        17. Consequential Amendments

        18. Consequential Amendments

        19. Consequential Amendments

        20. Consequential Amendments

        1. —44. Consequential Amendments

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      Repeals

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