OpenLegislation

The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

1987/2203 · Made 18 December 1987 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Not fully up to date. 11 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 April 2022.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 5repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
art. 39(2)words insertedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 3 para. 9
art. 57-71repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
Art. 59(1)restrictedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 4 para. 1(4)
art. 60(1A)insertedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 4 para. 6(a)
art. 60(2)words substitutedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 4 para. 6(b)
art. 72(3)repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
Pt. 2-4repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
Pt. 6repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
Sch. 2repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5
art. 29(3)(a)word substitutedHealth and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 1 para. 112(30(a)

18th December 1987 C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Order applied (with modifications) (21.12.2018) by The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Parental Orders) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1412), Sch. 3

C2

Order 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)

Contents

  1. Part I: INTRODUCTORY
  2. 1Title and commencement
  3. 2Interpretation
  4. Part II: ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADOPTION
  5. The Adoption Service
  6. 3The Adoption Service
  7. Adoption societies
  8. 4Registration of adoption societies Repealed
  9. 5Cancellation of registration
  10. 6Procedure and right of appeal where registration refused or cancelled Repealed
  11. 7Inspection of books, etc., of registered adoption societies Repealed
  12. 8Inactive or defunct adoption societies
  13. Welfare of children
  14. 9Duty to promote welfare of child
  15. Supplemental
  16. 10Regulation of adoption agencies
  17. 11Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing children
  18. Part III: ADOPTION ORDERS
  19. The making of adoption orders
  20. 12Adoption orders
  21. 13Child to live with adopters before order made
  22. 14Adoption by ... couple
  23. 15Adoption by one person
  24. 16Parental agreement
  25. 16AConvention adoption orders
  26. Freeing for adoption
  27. 17Freeing child for adoption with parental agreement
  28. 18Freeing child for adoption without parental agreement
  29. 19Progress reports to former parent
  30. 20Revocation of order freeing child for adoption
  31. 21Variation of order under Article 17(1) or 18(1) so as to substitute one adoption agency for another
  32. Supplemental
  33. 22Notification to HSC trust of adoption application, where child not placed by adoption agency
  34. 23Enquiries to be made of HSC trust , where child is to be placed by registered adoption society
  35. 24Reports to court where child placed by agency
  36. 25Restrictions on making adoption orders
  37. 26Interim orders
  38. Part IV: CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AWAITING ADOPTION
  39. Restrictions on removal of children
  40. 28Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under Article 17(1) or 18(1)
  41. 29Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years
  42. 30Return of child taken away in breach of Article 28 or 29
  43. 31Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies
  44. 32Application of Article 31 where child not placed for adoption
  45. Protected children
  46. 33Meaning of “protected child”
  47. 34Duty of HSC trusts to secure well-being of protected children
  48. 36Notices and information to be given to HSC trusts
  49. 37Offences relating to protected children
  50. 38Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children
  51. Part V: STATUS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN
  52. 39Meaning of “adoption” in Part V
  53. 40Status conferred by adoption
  54. 41Adoptive relatives
  55. 42Rules of construction for instruments concerning property
  56. 43Dispositions depending on date of birth
  57. 44Property devolving with peerages, etc.
  58. 45Protection of trustees and personal representatives
  59. 46Meaning of “disposition”
  60. 47Miscellaneous
  61. 48Pensions
  62. 49Insurance
  63. Part VI: REGISTRATION, AMENDMENT AND REVOCATION OF ADOPTION ORDERS
  64. The Adopted Children Register
  65. 50Adopted Children Register
  66. 51Registration of adoption orders
  67. 52Amendment of orders and rectification of Registers
  68. 53Registration of adoptions made outside Northern Ireland
  69. Disclosure of records
  70. 54Disclosure of birth records of adopted children
  71. 54AAdoption Contact Register
  72. Revocation of certain adoptions
  73. 55Revocation of adoptions on legitimation
  74. 55AAnnulment etc. of overseas adoptions
  75. 55BProvisions supplementary to Article 55A
  76. Regulations
  77. 56Regulations for purposes of Part VI
  78. Part VII: MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL
  79. Miscellaneous provisions
  80. 57Adoption by persons domiciled outside Northern Ireland
  81. 58Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Northern Ireland
  82. 58ZARestriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom for adoption
  83. 58ZBEffect of determinations in Convention countries, etc.
  84. 58AOrders made in adoption proceedings outside Northern Ireland
  85. 59Prohibition on certain payments
  86. 59APermitted allowances
  87. 60Restriction on advertisements
  88. 61Prohibition of wrongful disclosure of information
  89. Evidence and procedure
  90. 62Evidence of agreement and consent
  91. 63Evidence of adoptions, etc.
  92. 64Removal of proceedings and appeals
  93. 65Proceedings to be in private
  94. 66Guardians ad litem
  95. 66APanels for selection of guardians ad litem
  96. 67Adoption rules
  97. Supplemental
  98. 68Regulations
  99. 70Power of Department to conduct or assist research
  100. 71Inspection
  101. 72Transitional provisions, savings, amendments and repeals
  102. Schedule 1
  103. 1Constitution Repealed
  104. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  105. 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  106. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  107. 5Procedure Repealed
  108. 6Costs Repealed
  109. Schedule 2FORM OF ENTRY IN ADOPTED CHILDREN REGISTER
  110. Schedule 3: TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND SAVINGS
  111. 1Paragraph 1
  112. 2Paragraph 2
  113. 3Paragraph 3
  114. 4Paragraph 4
  115. 5Paragraph 5
  116. 6Paragraph 6
  117. 7Paragraph 7
  118. Schedule
  119. Paragraph
  120. Schedule
  121. Paragraph