Legislation – Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022
Changes to legislation:
Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, Section 16 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 11 April 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 16:
- Act applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2018/412, Sch. 3 (as substituted) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 83
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2018/412, Sch. 3 (as substituted) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 83
PART 1Adoption
CHAPTER 3Placement for adoption and adoption orders
Placement of children by adoption agency for adoption
Placing children with parental consent16
(1)
Where an adoption agency is satisfied that each parent or guardian of a child has consented to the child—
(a)
being placed for adoption with prospective adopters identified in the consent; or
(b)
being placed for adoption with any prospective adopters who may be chosen by the agency,
and has not withdrawn that consent, the agency is authorised to place the child for adoption accordingly.
(2)
Consent to a child being placed for adoption with prospective adopters identified in the consent may be combined with consent to the child subsequently being placed for adoption with any prospective adopters who may be chosen by the agency in circumstances where the child is removed from or returned by the identified prospective adopters.
(3)
Subsection (1) does not apply where—
(a)
an application has been made on which a care order might be made and the application has not been disposed of; or
(b)
a care order or placement order has been made after the consent was given.
(4)
References in this Act to a child placed for adoption under this section include a child who was placed under this section with prospective adopters and continues to be placed with them, whether or not consent to the placement has been withdrawn.
(5)
This section is subject to section 51 (parental etc. consent).