The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

The Adoption ServiceN.I.

The Adoption ServiceN.I.

3.—(1) [F1It shall be the duty of—

(aa)an [F2HSC trust] in relation to its area;

(bb)a Board in relation to so much of its area as does not fall within the area of an [F2HSC trust],

to establish and maintain] a service designed to meet the needs, in relation to adoption, of—

(a)children who have been or may be adopted;

(b)parents and guardians of such children; and

(c)persons who have adopted or may adopt a child,

and for that purpose[F1 to provide] the requisite facilities, or secure that they are provided by[F3appropriate voluntary organisations].

(2) The facilities to be provided as part of the service maintained under paragraph (1) include—

(a)temporary board and lodging where needed by pregnant women, mothers or children;

(b)arrangements for assessing children and prospective adopters, and placing children for adoption;

(c)counselling for persons with problems relating to adoption.

[F4(2A) In this Part references to adoption are to the adoption of children, wherever they may be habitually resident, effected under the law of any country or territory, whether within or outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.]

(3) The service maintainedF5. . . under paragraph (1) may be collectively referred to as “the Adoption Service”, and a Board[F1, an [F2HSC trust]] or[F6an appropriate voluntary organisation] may be referred to as an adoption agency.