Search Legislation

Advanced Search

The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

Changes to legislation:

The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 23 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

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 affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

    1. 1.Title and commencement

    2. 2.Interpretation

  3. PART II ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADOPTION

    1. The Adoption Service

      1. 3.The Adoption Service

    2. Adoption societies

      1. 4.Registration of adoption societies

      2. 5.Cancellation of registration

      3. 6.Procedure and right of appeal where registration refused or cancelled

      4. 7.Inspection of books, etc., of registered adoption societies

      5. 8.Inactive or defunct adoption societies

    3. Welfare of children

      1. 9.Duty to promote welfare of child

    4. Supplemental

      1. 10.Regulation of adoption agencies

      2. 11.Restriction on arranging adoptions and placing children

  4. PART III ADOPTION ORDERS

    1. The making of adoption orders

      1. 12.Adoption orders

      2. 13.Child to live with adopters before order made

      3. 14.Adoption by ... couple

      4. 15.Adoption by one person

      5. 16.Parental agreement

      6. 16A.Convention adoption orders

    2. Freeing for adoption

      1. 17.Freeing child for adoption with parental agreement

      2. 18.Freeing child for adoption without parental agreement

      3. 19.Progress reports to former parent

      4. 20.Revocation of order freeing child for adoption

      5. 21.Variation of order under Article 17(1) or 18(1) so as to substitute one adoption agency for another

    3. Supplemental

      1. 22.Notification to HSC trust of adoption application, where child not placed by adoption agency

      2. 23.Enquiries to be made of HSC trust , where child is to be placed by registered adoption society

      3. 24.Reports to court where child placed by agency

      4. 25.Restrictions on making adoption orders

      5. 26.Interim orders

      6. Art. 27. rep. by 1995 NI 2

  5. PART IV CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AWAITING ADOPTION

    1. Restrictions on removal of children

      1. 28.Restrictions on removal where adoption agreed or application made under Article 17(1) or 18(1)

      2. 29.Restrictions on removal where applicant has provided home for 5 years

      3. 30.Return of child taken away in breach of Article 28 or 29

      4. 31.Return of children placed for adoption by adoption agencies

      5. 32.Application of Article 31 where child not placed for adoption

    2. Protected children

      1. 33.Meaning of “protected child”

      2. 34.Duty of HSC trusts to secure well-being of protected children

      3. Art. 35 rep. with saving by 1995 NI 2

      4. 36.Notices and information to be given to HSC trusts

      5. 37.Offences relating to protected children

      6. 38.Miscellaneous provisions relating to protected children

  6. PART V STATUS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN

    1. 39.Meaning of “adoption” in Part V

    2. 40.Status conferred by adoption

    3. 41.Adoptive relatives

    4. 42.Rules of construction for instruments concerning property

    5. 43.Dispositions depending on date of birth

    6. 44.Property devolving with peerages, etc.

    7. 45.Protection of trustees and personal representatives

    8. 46.Meaning of “disposition”

    9. 47.Miscellaneous

    10. 48.Pensions

    11. 49.Insurance

  7. PART VI REGISTRATION, AMENDMENT AND REVOCATION OF ADOPTION ORDERS

    1. The Adopted Children Register

      1. 50.Adopted Children Register

      2. 51.Registration of adoption orders

      3. 52.Amendment of orders and rectification of Registers

      4. 53.Registration of adoptions made outside Northern Ireland

    2. Disclosure of records

      1. 54.Disclosure of birth records of adopted children

      2. 54A.Adoption Contact Register

    3. Revocation of certain adoptions

      1. 55.Revocation of adoptions on legitimation

      2. 55A.Annulment etc. of overseas adoptions

      3. 55B.Provisions supplementary to Article 55A

    4. Regulations

      1. 56.Regulations for purposes of Part VI

  8. PART VII MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL

    1. Miscellaneous provisions

      1. 57.Adoption by persons domiciled outside Northern Ireland

      2. 58.Restriction on removal of children for adoption outside Northern Ireland

      3. 58ZA.Restriction on bringing children into the United Kingdom for adoption

      4. 58ZB.Effect of determinations in Convention countries, etc.

      5. 58A.Orders made in adoption proceedings outside Northern Ireland

      6. 59.Prohibition on certain payments

      7. 59A.Permitted allowances

      8. 60.Restriction on advertisements

      9. 61.Prohibition of wrongful disclosure of information

    2. Evidence and procedure

      1. 62.Evidence of agreement and consent

      2. 63.Evidence of adoptions, etc.

      3. 64.Removal of proceedings and appeals

      4. 65.Proceedings to be in private

      5. 66.Guardians ad litem

      6. 66A.Panels for selection of guardians ad litem

      7. 67.Adoption rules

    3. Supplemental

      1. 68.Regulations

      2. Art. 69 rep. by 2005 c. 12

      3. 70.Power of Department to conduct or assist research

      4. 71.Inspection

      5. 72.Transitional provisions, savings, amendments and repeals

  9. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      1. 1.Constitution

      2. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 3.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 4.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 5.Procedure

      6. 6.Costs

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      FORM OF ENTRY IN ADOPTED CHILDREN REGISTER

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND SAVINGS

      1. 1.Where any period of time specified in a statutory provision repealed by this Order is...

      2. 2.Sub‐para. (1) rep. 1995 NI 2 (2) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 52, shall...

      3. 3.Any register, or index to a register, kept under the Adoption Act (Northern Ireland) 1967,...

      4. 4.(1) Article 40— (a) does not apply to an existing instrument or statutory provision in...

      5. 5.The reference in Article 58(1) to an order under Article 57 includes an order under...

      6. 6.The provisions of this Schedule shall have effect without prejudice to sections 28 and 29...

      7. 7.In this Schedule “commencement date” for the purpose of any provision of this Schedule, means...

    4. SCHEDULE 4—Amendments

      1. SCHEDULE 4—Amendments

    5. SCHEDULE 5—Repeals

      1. SCHEDULE 5—Repeals

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources