PART 2APPLICATIONS FOR INTERMEDIARY SERVICES

Counselling10

1

An intermediary agency must provide written information about the availability of counselling to any person who—

a

makes an application to it under these Regulations; or

b

is the subject of such an application and is considering whether to consent to disclosure of information about himself to the applicant.

2

The information provided under paragraph (1) must include details of—

a

persons offering counselling; and

b

fees that may be charged by such persons.

3

If a person mentioned in paragraph (1) requests that counselling be provided for him, the intermediary agency must secure the provision of counselling for that person.

4

The intermediary agency may provide the counselling itself or make arrangements with any of the following persons for provision of counselling—

a

if the person is in England or Wales, another adoption agency or a registered adoption support agency;

b

if the person is in Scotland, a Scottish adoption agency;

c

if the person is in Northern Ireland, an adoption society which is registered under Article 4 of the Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 19874 or any Board; or

d

if the person is outside the United Kingdom, any person or body outside the United Kingdom who appears to the agency to correspond in its functions to a body mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c).

5

In this regulation “Board” means a Health and Social Services Board established under Article 16 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 19725 or where the functions of a Board are exercisable by a Health and Social Services Trust, that Trust.