Adoption and Children Act 2002
2002 c. 38 · 157 provisionsView on legislation.gov.uk
An Act to restate and amend the law relating to adoption; to make further amendments of the law relating to children; to amend section 93 of the Local Government Act 2000; and for connected purposes.
- ANS (Respondent) and another v ML (AP) (Appellant) (Scotland) [2012] UKSC 30
- HH v Deputy Prosecutor of the Italian Republic, Genoa; PH v Deputy Prosecutor of the Italian Republic, Genoa; F-K v Polish Judicial Authority [2012] UKSC 25
- In re P and others (AP) (Appellants) (Northern Ireland) [2008] UKHL 38
- In the matter of B (a Child) (FC) [2013] UKSC 33
- R (on the application of G) v London Borough of Southwark [2009] UKHL 26
- Adoption Act 1976
- Section 1: Establishment of Adoption Service.
- Section 11: Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing of children.
- Section 12: Adoption orders.
- Section 13: Child to live with adopters before order made.
- Section 14: Adoption by married couple.
- Section 15: Adoption by one person.
- Section 16: Parental agreement.
- Section 17: Convention adoption orders.
- Section 2: Local authorities’ social services.
- Section 22: Notification to local authority of adoption application.
- Section 23: Reports where child placed by agency.
- Section 24: Restrictions on making adoption orders.
- Section 25: Interim orders.
- Section 27: Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under s. 18.
- Section 28: Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years.
- Section 29: Return of child taken away in breach of s. 27 or 28.
- Section 30: Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies.
- Section 31: Application of s. 30 where child not placed for adoption.
- Section 32: Meaning of “protected child”.
- Section 33: Duty of local authorities to secure well-being of protected children.
- Section 35: Notices and information to be given to local authorities.
- Section 36: Offences relating to protected children.
- Section 37: Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children.
- Section 4: Withdrawal of approval.
- Section 50: Adopted Children Register.
- Section 51: Disclosure of birth records of adopted children.
- Section 51A: Adoption Contact Register.
- Section 52: Revocation of adoptions on legitimation.
- Section 53: Annulment etc. of overseas adoptions.
- Section 54: Provisions supplementary to ss. 52(3) and 53.
- Section 55: Adoption of children abroad.
- Section 56: Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Great Britain.
- Section 56A: Restriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom
- Section 57: Prohibition on certain payments.
- Section 57A: Permitted allowances.
- Section 58: Restriction on advertisements.
- Section 58A: Information concerning adoption.
- Section 59: Effect of determination and orders made in Scotland and overseas in adoption proceedings.
- Section 6: Duty to promote welfare of child.
- Section 60: Evidence of adoption in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Section 61: Evidence of agreement and consent.
- Section 62: Courts.
- Section 63: Appeals etc.
- Section 64: Proceedings to be in private.
- Section 65: Duties of officers of the Service
- Section 66: Rules of procedure.
- Section 67: Orders, rules and regulations.
- Section 68: Offences by bodies corporate.
- Section 69: Services of notices etc.
- Section 7: Religious upbringing of adopted child.
- Section 71: Internal law of a country.
- Section 72: Interpretation.
- Section 73: Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals.
- Section 74: Short title, commencement and extent.
- Section 8: Inactive or defunct adoption societies.
- Section 9: Regulation of adoption agencies.
- Section 9A: Independent review of determinations
About this text
This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.