Explanatory note

These Regulations make amendments, in respect of England only, to the Foster Placement (Children) Regulations 1991 and the Adoption Agencies Regulations 1983. Those Regulations provide that a person is not to be considered suitable to foster or adopt a child (as the case may be) if he or a member of his household has been convicted of, or cautioned for, an offence specified in Schedule 2 to the Adoption Agencies Regulations or Schedule 4 to the Foster Placement (Children) Regulations. These Regulations remove this automatic prohibition in limited circumstances. These are, in relation to adoption or fostering, where the offence was committed when a person was under the age of 18, and, in relation to fostering, where the child concerned is a relative of anyone in the household, or is already placed with the person as his foster parent.