{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1975/schedule-1/paragraph-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1975/schedule-1/paragraph-3.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1975/72",
  "legislation_title": "Children Act 1975",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/children-act-1975",
  "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/3",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) An adopted child shall be treated in law—\n(a) where the adopters are a married couple, as if he had been born as a child of the marriage (whether or not he was in fact born after the marriage was solemnized);\n(b) in any other case, as if he had been born to the adopter in wedlock (but not as a child of any actual marriage of the adopter).\n(2) An adopted child shall be treated in law as if he were not the child of any person other than the adopters or adopter.\n(3) It is hereby declared that this paragraph prevents an adotped child from being illegitimate.\n(4) This paragraph has effect—\n(a) in the case of an adoption before 1st January 1976, from that date, and\n(b) in the case of any other adoption, from the date of the adoption.\n(5) Subject to the provisions of this Part, this paragraph applies for the construction of enactments or instruments passed or made before the adoption or later, and so applies subject to any contrary indication.\n(6) Subject to the provisions of this Part, the paragraph has effect as respects things done, or events occurring, after the adoption, or after 31st December 1975, whichever is the later.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 repealed (E.W.) by Adoption Act 1976 (c. 36, SIF 49:11) s. 74(2), Sch. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 para. 3 restricted by Legitimacy Act 1976 (c. 31, SIF 49:7), s. 4 and excluded by S.I. 1975/515 reg. 2 (as substituted by S.I. 1985/1327 reg. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 1 para. 3(2) excluded by Legitimacy Act 1976 (c. 31, SIF 49:7), s. 4"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/72/schedule/1/paragraph/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:35:55.776840+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."
}