{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/intercountry-adoption-hague-convention-scotland-regulations-2003/regulation-27",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/intercountry-adoption-hague-convention-scotland-regulations-2003/regulation-27.json",
  "legislation": "ssi/2003/19",
  "legislation_title": "The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) (Scotland) Regulations 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/intercountry-adoption-hague-convention-scotland-regulations-2003",
  "path": "regulation/27",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "27",
  "heading": "Preparation of the Article 16 report for RSCA",
  "text": "(1) Where the local authority decides under regulation 26 that the proposed placement is in the best interests of the child and the adoption may proceed, it shall prepare a report for the purposes of Article 16 of the Convention (“the Article 16 report”) which shall include–\n(a) information about the child’s identity, suitability for adoption, background, social environment, family history, medical history including that of the child’s family, and any special needs of the child; and\n(b) the reasons for its decision.\n(2) The local authority shall, within 14 days of the date of the decision under paragraph 26(3), send the Article 16 report to the Central Authority together with the evidence that a freeing order has been made in respect of the child.\n(3) The Central Authority shall send the Article 16 report and other information referred to it in paragraph (2) to the RSCA.\n(4) The Central Authority may notify the RSCA that it is prepared to agree that the adoption may proceed:\nProvided that the RSCA has confirmed that–\n(a) the Convention prospective adopter has agreed to adopt the child and has received such counselling as may be necessary;\n(b) the Convention prospective adopter has confirmed that either–\n(i) the Convention prospective adopter will accompany the child to the receiving State; or\n(ii) in exceptional circumstances, the child will be accompanied by a nominee of the Convention prospective adopter who has been approved by the local authority;\n(c) it is content for the adoption to proceed; and\n(d) the child is or will be authorised to enter and reside permanently in the Convention country if a Convention adoption is made in that Convention country or a Convention adoption order is made in the United Kingdom.\n(5) The Central Authority may not make an agreement under Article 17(c) of the Convention with the RSCA unless the local authority have confirmed that–\n(a) it has met the Convention prospective adopter;\n(b) the Convention prospective adopter (or, where the Convention Prospective adopter is a married couple and there are exceptional circumstances, one of them) has visited the child; and\n(c) it is content for the adoption to proceed.\n(6) A local authority shall not place a child for adoption with a Convention prospective adopter unless the agreement under Article 17(c) of the Convention has been made and the relevant Central Authority shall advise the local authority when that agreement has been made.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2003/19/regulation/27",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T22:38:33.483972+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."
}