The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations 2003

PART 4 Miscellaneous

Application, with or without modifications, of provisions of the 1976 Act

34.—(1) The provisions of the 1976 Act set out in column 1 of Schedule 3 to these Regulations shall apply with the modifications set out in column 2 of that Schedule in relation to adoptions under the Convention.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not preclude the application of provisions of the 1976 Act, which do not require modifications, to adoptions under the Convention.

Application, with modifications, of provisions of the Adoption Agencies Regulations

35.  The Adoption Agencies Regulations shall apply together with the modifications set out in Schedule 4 to these Regulations in relation to adoptions under the Convention.

Offences

36.  Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with—

(a) regulation 15 (notification to local authority);

(b) regulation 18(2) (return of child to relevant local authority);

(c) regulation 18(4) (return of child to relevant authority as ordered by the court); or

(d) regulation 23 (return of child to relevant authority within period prescribed by court),

without reasonable excuse is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both.

Transitional and consequential provisions

37.—(1) These Regulations shall not apply in relation to the case of any prospective adopter who wishes to adopt a child from a Convention country outside the British Islands which has been referred by the adoption agency (dealing with the case) to the adoption panel before the date on which these Regulations come into force.

(2) No application may be made for a Convention adoption order under section 17 of the 1976 Act unless the arrangements for the adoption of the child have been made in accordance with these Regulations.