{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005/article-23",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005/article-23.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2005/2795",
  "legislation_title": "The Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules 2005",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005",
  "path": "article/23",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "23",
  "heading": "Who the parties are",
  "text": "(1) In relation to the proceedings set out in column 1 of each of the following tables, column 2 of Table 1 sets out who the application may be made by and column 2 of Table 2 sets out who the respondents to those proceedings will be.\nTable 1\nProceedings for\nApplicants\nAn adoption order (section 46)\nThe prospective adopters (section 50 and 51).\nA section 84 order\nThe prospective adopters asking for parental responsibility prior to adoption abroad.\nA placement order (section 21)\nA local authority (section 22).\nAn order varying a placement order (section 23)\nThe joint application of the local authority authorised by the placement order to place the child for adoption and the local authority which is to be substituted for that authority (section 23).\nAn order revoking a placement order (section 24)\nThe child;\nthe local authority authorised to place the child for adoption; or\nwhere the child is not placed for adoption by the authority, any other person who has the permission of the court to apply (section 24).\nA contact order (section 26)\nThe child;\nthe adoption agency;\nany parent, guardian or relative;\nany person in whose favour there was provision for contact under the 1989 Act which ceased to have effect on an adoption agency being authorised to place a child for adoption, or placing a child for adoption who is less than six weeks old (section 26(1));\na person in whose favour there was a residence order in force immediately before the adoption agency was authorised to place the child for adoption or placed the child for adoption at a time when he was less than six weeks old;\na person who by virtue of an order made in the exercise of the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction with respect to children had care of the child immediately before that time; or\nany person who has the permission of the court to make the application (section 26).\nAn order varying or revoking a contact order (section 27)\nThe child;\nthe adoption agency; or\nany person named in the contact order (section 27(1)).\nAn order permitting the child’s name to be changed or the removal of the child from the United Kingdom (section 28(2) and (3))\nAny person including the adoption agency or the local authority authorised to place, or which has placed, the child for adoption (section 28(2)).\nA section 88 direction\nThe adopted child;\nthe adopters;\nany parent; or\nany other person.\nA section 89 order\nThe adopters;\nthe adopted person;\nany parent;\nthe relevant Central Authority;\nthe adoption agency;\nthe local authority to whom notice under section 44 (notice of intention to adopt or apply for a section 84 order) has been given;\nthe Secretary of State for the Home Department; or\nany other person.\nTable 2\nProceedings for\nRespondents\nAn adoption order (section 46) or a section 84 order\nEach parent who has parental responsibility for the child or guardian of the child unless he has given notice under section 20(4)(a) (statement of wish not to be informed of any application for an adoption order) which has effect;\nany person in whose favour there is provision for contact;\nany adoption agency having parental responsibility for the child under section 25;\nany adoption agency which has taken part at any stage in the arrangements for adoption of the child;\nany local authority to whom notice under section 44 (notice of intention to adopt or apply for a section 84 order) has been given;\nany local authority or voluntary organisation which has parental responsibility for, is looking after, or is caring for, the child; and\nthe child where—\npermission has been granted to a parent or guardian to oppose the making of the adoption order (section 47(3) or 47(5));\nhe opposes the making of an adoption order;\na children and family reporter recommends that it is in the best interests of the child to be a party to the proceedings and that recommendation is accepted by the court;\nhe is already an adopted child;\nany party to the proceedings or the child is opposed to the arrangements for allowing any person contact with the child, or a person not being allowed contact with the child after the making of the adoption order;\nthe application is for a Convention adoption order or a section 84 order;\nhe has been brought into the United Kingdom in the circumstances where section 83(1) applies (restriction on bringing children in);\nthe application is for an adoption order other than a Convention adoption order and the prospective adopters intend the child to live in a country or territory outside the British Islands after the making of the adoption order; or\nthe prospective adopters are relatives of the child.\nA placement order (section 21)\nEach parent who has parental responsibility for the child or guardian of the child;\nany person in whose favour an order under the 1989 Act is in force in relation to the child;\nany adoption agency or voluntary organisation which has parental responsibility for, is looking after, or is caring for, the child;\nthe child; and\nthe parties or any persons who are or have been parties to proceedings for a care order in respect of the child where those proceedings have led to the application for the placement order.\nAn order varying a placement order (section 23)\nThe parties to the proceedings leading to the placement order which it is sought to have varied except the child who was the subject of those proceedings; and\nany person in whose favour there is provision for contact.\nAn order revoking a placement order (section 24)\nThe parties to the proceedings leading to the placement order which it is sought to have revoked; and\nany person in whose favour there is provision for contact.\nA contact order (section 26)\nThe adoption agency authorised to place the child for adoption or which has placed the child for adoption;\nthe person with whom the child lives or is to live;\neach parent with parental responsibility for the child or guardian of the child; and\nthe child where—\nthe adoption agency authorised to place the child for adoption or which has placed the child for adoption or a parent with parental responsibility for the child opposes the making of the contact order under section 26;\nhe opposes the making of the contact order under section 26;\nexisting provision for contact is to be revoked;\nrelatives of the child do not agree to the arrangements for allowing any person contact with the child, or a person not being allowed contact with the child; or\nhe is suffering or is at risk of suffering harm within the meaning of the 1989 Act.\nAn order varying or revoking a contact order (section 27)\nThe parties to the proceedings leading to the contact order which it is sought to have varied or revoked; and\nany person named in the contact order.\nAn order permitting the child’s name to be changed or the removal of the child from the United Kingdom (section 28(2) and (3))\nThe parties to proceedings leading to any placement order;\nthe adoption agency authorised to place the child for adoption or which has placed the child for adoption;\nany prospective adopters with whom the child is living; and\neach parent with parental responsibility for the child or guardian of the child.\nA section 88 direction\nThe adopters;\nthe parents;\nthe adoption agency;\nthe local authority to whom notice under section 44 (notice of intention to apply for a section 84 order) has been given; and\nthe Attorney-General.\nA section 89 order\nThe adopters;\nthe parents;\nthe adoption agency; and\nthe local authority to whom notice under section 44 (notice of intention to adopt or apply for a section 84 order) has been given.\n(2) The court may at any time direct that a child, who is not already a respondent to proceedings, be made a respondent to proceedings where—\n(a) the child—\n(i) wishes to make an application; or\n(ii) has evidence to give to the court or a legal submission to make which has not been given or made by any other party; or\n(b) there are other special circumstances.\n(3) The court may at any time direct that—\n(a) any other person or body be made a respondent to proceedings; or\n(b) a respondent be removed.\n(4) If the court makes a direction for the addition or removal of a party, it may give consequential directions about—\n(a) serving a copy of the application form on any new respondent;\n(b) serving relevant documents on the new party; and\n(c) the management of the proceedings.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2795/article/23",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:49:01.488224+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."
}