Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978
1978 c. 28
An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to adoption in Scotland with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission.
Power to amend Act conferred (5.7.1994) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (c. 37, SIF 83:1), s. 30(9)(10) (with ss. 39(3), 43(2)); S.I. 1994/1776, art. 2(1)
Act modified (1.11.1994) by S.I. 1994/2804, art. 2, Sch. 1
Act: power to modify conferred (1.10.2009) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (c. 22), ss. 55, 68(2); S.I. 2009/2232, art. 2(q)
F15Part I The Adoption Service
Act repealed (except Pt. IV) (28.9.2009) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 4), s. 121(2), sch. 3 (with savings by The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Provisions) (No. 1) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2233), art. 2); S.S.I. 2009/267, arts. 1(2), 2 (with arts. 3-21) (as amended (7.5.2012) by S.S.I. 2012/99, art. 2)
F15 The Adoption Service
F151 Establishment of Adoption Service.
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F152 Local authorities’ social work.
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F15 Adoption societies
F153 Approval of adoption societies.
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F154 Withdrawal of approval.
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F155 Procedure on refusal to approve, or withdrawal of approval from, adoption societies.
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F15 Welfare of children
F156 Duty to promote welfare of child.
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F156A Duty to consider alternatives to adoption.
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F157 Religious upbringing of adopted child.
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F15 Supplemental
F158. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F159 Regulation of adoption agencies.
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F1510. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1511 Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing of children.
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F15Part II Adoption Orders
F15 The making of adoption orders
F1512 Adoption orders.
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F1513 Child to live with adopters before order made.
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F1514 Adoption by married couple.
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F1515 Adoption by one person.
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F1516 Parental agreement.
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F1517 Convention adoption orders.
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F15 Freeing for adoption
F1518 Freeing child for adoption.
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F1519 Progress reports to former parent.
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F1520 Revocation of s. 18 order.
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F1521 Variation of section 18 order so as to substitute one adoption agency for another.
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F15 Supplemental
F1522 Notification to local authority of adoption application.
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F1522A Children subject to supervision requirements.
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F1523 Reports where child placed by agency.
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F1524 Restrictions on making adoption orders.
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F1525 Interim orders.
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F1525A Timetable for resolving question as to whether agreement to adoption order etc. should be dispensed with.
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F1526. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F15Part III Care and Protection of Children Awaiting Adoption
F15 Restrictions on removal of children
F1527 Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under s. 18.
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F1528 Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years.
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F1529 Return of child taken away in breach of s. 27 or 28.
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29A Contravention of sections 30 to 36 of Adoption and Children Act 2002
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F1530 Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies.
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F1531 Application of s. 30 where child not placed for adoption.
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F15 Protected children
F1532. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1533. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1534. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1535. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1536. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F1537. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C3C4 Part IV Status of Adopted Children
Part IV (meaning of "adopted ") applied (5.4.1993) by Child Support Act 1991 (SIF 20, c. 48), s. 26(3) (with s. 9(2)); S.I. 1992/2644, art.2
Pt. IV applied (28.9.2009) by Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 4), ss. 39(3), 121(2); S.S.I. 2009/267, arts. 1(2), 2 (with arts. 3-21) (as amended (7.5.2012) by S.S.I. 2012/99, art. 2)
38 Meaning of “adoption order”: in Part IV.
1
In this Part “adoption order” means—
a
an adoption order within the meaning of section 65(1);
b
c
an order effecting an adoption made in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands;
F9cc
a Convention adoption;
d
an “overseas adoption”: within the meaning of section 65(2); or
e
any other adoption recognised by the law of Scotland;
and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.
2
The definition of adoption order includes, where the context admits, an adoption order which took effect before the commencement of the M4Children Act 1975.
C639 Status conferred by adoption.
F11
A child who is the subject of an adoption order shall be treated in law—
a
where the adopters are a married couple, as if—
i
he had been born as aF13... child of the marriage (whether or not he was in fact born after the marriage was constituted); and
ii
F10subject to subsection (2A) he were not the child of any person other than the adopters;
b
where the adoption order is made by virtue of section 15(1)(aa) as if—
i
he had been born as a F13... child of the marriage between the adopter and the natural parent to whom the adopter is married (whether or not he was in fact born after the marriage was constituted); and
ii
F10subject to subsection (2A) he were not the child of any person other than the adopter and that natural parent; and
2
Where F2a child has been adopted by one of his natural parents as sole adoptive parent and the adopter thereafter marries the other natural parent, subsection (1) shall not affect any enactment or rule of law whereby, by virtue of the marriage, the child is rendered the F14... child of both natural parents.
F162A
Where, in the case of a child adopted under a Convention adoption, the Court of Session is satisfied, on an application under this subsection—
a
that under the law of the country in which the adoption was effected the adoption is not a full adoption;
b
that the consents referred to in Article 4(c) and (d) of the Convention have not been given for a full adoption, or that the United Kingdom is not the receiving State (within the meaning of Article 2 of the Convention); and
c
that it would be more favourable to the child for a direction to be given under this subsection,
the Court may direct that sub-paragraph (ii) of, as the case may be, paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (1) shall not apply, or shall not apply to such extent as may be specified in the direction: and in this subsection “full adoption” means an adoption by virtue of which the child falls to be treated in law as if he were not the child of any person other than the adopters or adopter.
3
This section has effect—
a
in the case of an adoption before 1st January 1976, from that date, and
b
in the case of any other adoption, from the date of the adoption.
4
Subject to the provisions of this Part, this section—
a
applies for the construction of enactments or instruments passed or made before or after the commencement of this Act so far as the context admits; and
b
does not affect things done or events occurring before the adoption or, where the adoption took place before 1st January 1976, before that date.
5
This section has effect subject to the provisions of section 44.
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41 Miscellaneous enactments.
C71
Section 39 does not apply in determining the forbidden degrees of consanguinity and affinity in respect of the law relating to marriage F11, to the eligibility of persons to register as civil partners of each other or in respect of the crime of incest, except that, on the making of an adoption order, the adopter and the child shall be deemed, for all time coming, to be within the said forbidden degrees in respect of the law relating to marriage F12, to such eligibility and to incest.
2
F4. . . section 39 does not apply for the purposes of any provision of—
a
F5the British Nationality Act 1981,
b
the M5Immigration Act 1971,
c
any instrument having effect under an enactment within paragraph (a) or (b), or
3
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42 Pensions.
Section 39(1) does not affect entitlement to a pension which is payable to or for the benefit of a child and is in payment at the time of his adoption.
43 Insurance.
Where a child is adopted whose natural parent has effected an insurance with a friendly society or a collecting society or an industrial insurance company for the payment on the death of the child of money for funeral expenses, the rights and liabilities under the policy shall by virtue of the adoption be transferred to the adoptive parents who shall for the purposes of the enactments relating to such societies and companies be treated as the person who took out the policy.
C844 Effect of s. 39 on succession and inter vivos deed.
Section 39 (status conferred by adoption) does not affect the existing law relating to adopted persons in respect of—
a
the succession to a deceased person (whether testate or intestate), and
b
the disposal of property by virtue of any inter vivos deed.
F15Part V Registration and Revocation of Adoption Orders and Convention Adoptions
F1545 Adopted Children Register.
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F1546 Revocation of adoptions on legitimation.
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F1547 Annulment etc. of overseas adoptions.
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F1548 Provisions supplementary to ss. 46(2) and 47.
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F15Part VI Miscellaneous and Supplemental
F1549 Adoption of children abroad.
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F1550 Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Great Britain.
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F1550A Restriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom for adoption
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F1551 Prohibition on certain payments.
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F1551A Adoption allowances schemes.
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F1551B Transitional provisions as respects adoption allowances.
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F1552 Restriction on advertisements.
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F1553 Effect of determination and orders made in England and Wales and overseas in adoption proceedings.
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53A Effect of certain orders made in England and Wales
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53B Effect of placing for adoption etc. under Adoption and Children Act 2002
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53C Further consequences of placement and placement orders
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F1554 Evidence of adoption in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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F1555 Evidence of agreement and consent.
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F1556 Courts.
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F1557 Proceedings to be in private.
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F1558 Curators ad litem and reporting officers.
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F1559 Rules of procedure.
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F1560 Orders, rules and regulations.
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F1561 Offences by bodies corporate.
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F1562 Service of notices etc.
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F1563 Nationality.
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F1564 Internal law of a country.
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F1565 Interpretation.
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F1566 Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals.
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F1567 Short title, commencement and extent.
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SCHEDULES
F15SCHEDULE 1 Registration of Adoptions
F15 Registration of adoption orders
F151
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F15 Registration of adoptions in England, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
F152
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F15 Registration of foreign adoptions
F153
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F15 Amendment of orders and rectification of registers
F154
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F15 Marking of entries on re-registration of birth
F155
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F15 Cancellations in registers on legitimation
F156
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F157
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F15SCHEDULE 2 Transitional Provisions and Savings
F15 General
F151
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F152
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F153
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F154
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F15 Existing adoption orders
F155
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F15 Payments relating to adoptions
F156
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F15 Registers of adoptions
F157
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F15 Commencement of Act
F158
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F15SCHEDULE 3 Consequential Amendments
F15 Children Act 1958 (c. 65)
F151
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F154
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F155
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F15 Legitimation (Scotland Act 1968 (c. 22)
F156
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F157
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F15 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (c. 49)
F158
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F159
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F1510
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F1511
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F1512
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F1513
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F1514
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F1515
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F15 Children Act 1975 (c. 72)
F1516
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F1517
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F1518
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F1519
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Act not in force at Royal Assent; wholly in force at 1.2.1985