ADOPTION AND PERMANENCE ORDERS

OVERVIEW OF ADOPTION

The effect of adoption is to confer parental rights & responsibilities in relation to the child with those adoptive parents. The adopted child is then treated in law as the child of the adopter, with the consequence that as if he had never been the child of his former parents. The effect of an adoption order on the child’s relationship with his birth parents is far reaching; candidly expressed, the birth parents lose all parental rights & responsibilities when their child is adopted, although the court may make an order for a nominal amount of direct/indirect contact between the former parent and child, which could take the form of short meeting once a year or letterbox contact.

In the past, adoption was viewed as a method of providing a loving home & parents for a new born or infant. Adoption may now also be viewed as a long term solution for children in need of a permanent loving home & parents

OVERVIEW OF PERMANENCE ORDERS

A Permanence order can be sought by a local authority. A Permanence order consists of –

Provision whereby the parental responsibility to provide guidance to the child and the right to have that child live with the parent now vest with the applicant as opposed to that child’s parent.

The local authority may also seek provision to confer other specific parental rights & responsibilities in the applicant or to confer those specific parental rights & responsibilities with a person other than that of the child’s parent.

The local authority may also seek to regulate contact arrangements between the child and the parent, if it is deemed in the child best interests to maintain contact with that parent

The local authority may consider any other questions concerning parental rights & responsibilities or the welfare of the child and seek provision granting authority for that child to be adopted.

In seeking a permanence order the local authority must show to the court that it has acted to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration taking into account the age & views of the child.

With 20 years experience of adoption & permanence orders throughout Perth & Perth & Kinross I am well placed to help you in this difficult area of law.

Do you need my help with adoption or permanence orders ?

Call me on 07310 164 305 or get in touch using the contact form.