Section 68: Adoptive relatives

Adoption and Children Act 2002 · 2002 c. 38View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 1: Adoption — Chapter 4: Status of Adopted Children

A relationship existing by virtue of section 67 may be referred to as an adoptive relationship, and—

an adopter may be referred to as an adoptive parent or (as the case may be) as an adoptive father or adoptive mother,
any other relative of any degree under an adoptive relationship may be referred to as an adoptive relative of that degree.

Subsection (1) does not affect the interpretation of any reference, not qualified by the word “adoptive”, to a relationship.

A reference (however expressed) to the adoptive mother and father of a child adopted by—

a couple of the same sex, or
a partner of the child’s parent, where the couple are of the same sex,

is to be read as a reference to the child’s adoptive parents.

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.