{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-register-search-and-inspection-regulations-2017/regulation-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-register-search-and-inspection-regulations-2017/regulation-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2017/978",
  "legislation_title": "The Adoption and Children Act Register (Search and Inspection) Regulations 2017",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-register-search-and-inspection-regulations-2017",
  "path": "regulation/4",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Search and inspection of the register by prospective adopters",
  "text": "(1) This regulation applies where—\n(a) P has provided written confirmation to the Secretary of State that P undertakes to comply with the requirements set out in regulation 5; and\n(b) the Secretary of State is satisfied that P—\n(i) has not on any occasion failed to comply with any of the requirements set out in regulation 5; and\n(ii) had not on any occasion failed to comply with any of the requirements that were set out in regulation 5 of the Adoption and Children Act Register (Search and Inspection) (Pilot) Regulations 2014.\n(2) The Secretary of State must make available the information specified in paragraph (5) held in Part 1 of the register for search and inspection by P for the purpose of assisting P to find a child for whom P would be an appropriate adopter.\n(3) The Secretary of State must make available the information specified in paragraph (5) held in Part 2 of the register for search and inspection by P for the purpose of assisting P to find a child for whom P would be an appropriate adopter where—\n(a) P has obtained written confirmation from the appropriate adoption agency that P is willing to have placed with them a child for whom a local authority in England is considering adoption; and\n(b) P has provided that written confirmation to the Secretary of State.\n(4) In paragraph (3)(a)—\n(a) “appropriate adoption agency” means the adoption agency that approved P as suitable to adopt a child under regulation 30B of the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005; and\n(b) “placed” means placed under section 22C of the Children Act 1989 with a local authority foster parent who is also an approved prospective adopter following consideration under section 22C(9B)(c) of that Act.\n(5) The specified information is—\n(a) C’s date of birth;\n(b) C’s gender;\n(c) C’s nationality;\n(d) C’s racial origin;\n(e) the local authority area in which C lives;\n(f) C’s first language and details of any other languages spoken;\n(g) C’s religious persuasion, if any, (including details of any baptism, confirmation or equivalent ceremonies) and whether C practises their religion;\n(h) whether the adoption agency intends to place C for adoption with C’s siblings and if so how many and the date of birth of each sibling;\n(i) C’s state of health including C’s physical, emotional and mental health and any anticipated future problems;\n(j) details of any adoption support needs that C has been assessed as having under section 4 of the Act (including those relating to C’s health) and any adoption support services being provided by the local authority or that the local authority has agree to provide; ...\n(k) where available—\n(i) any photographs or video recordings of C; and\n(ii) any letters written by C provided that—\n(aa) any identifying information about C or C’s siblings not specified in paragraphs (a) to (j) above is removed; and\n(bb) any identifying information about any other person is removed;\n(l) C’s first name;\n(m) details of any geographical considerations in relation to C’s placement; and\n(n) C’s health history including C’s family health history where available.\n(6) In paragraph (5)—\n(a) “identifying information” about a person means information which, whether taken on its own or together with other information disclosed by the Secretary of State, identifies the person or enables the person to be identified; and\n(b) “video recording” means a recording, in any form, from which a moving image may by any means be reproduced and includes data stored on a computer disc or by other electronic means which is capable of conversion into a moving image.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in reg. 4(5)(j) omitted (4.10.2018) by virtue of The Adoption and Children Act Register (Search and Inspection) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/993), regs. 1, 2(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Reg. 4(5)(l)-(n) inserted (4.10.2018) by The Adoption and Children Act Register (Search and Inspection) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/993), regs. 1, 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 4 in force at 2.11.2017, see reg. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "S.I. 2014/1957, which is revoked by these Regulations."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "S.I. 2005/389. Regulation 30B was inserted by regulation 5 of the Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/985)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "1989 c. 41. Section 22C was inserted by section 8(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23) and amended by section 2 of, and paragraph 29 of Schedule 2 to, the 2014 Act and S.I. 2016/413."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "Section 4 was amended by paragraphs 104 and 105 of Schedule 5 to the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7) and S.I. 2010/1158."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "See section 2(6) of the 2002 Act for the definition of “adoption support services”."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/978/regulation/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T23:07:35.547038+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}