Adoption Law in Northern Ireland

This title offers students and practitioners in the fields of law, health and social work a comprehensive guide to current adoption law and practice, particularly as regards requirements of the Adoption (NI) Order 1987 and the accompanying court rules and adoption regulations.

The book traces the different stages of the adoption process from the point at which a child becomes available to the point where that child may acquire information about his or her family of origin.

This is accompanied by a user-friendly guide to the procedures involved in that process - such as making an application, obtaining a freeing order, adopting a foreign child and disclosure of confidential information.

The practical nature of the book is further demonstrated by the inclusion in appendices of notes for guidance and lists of useful addresses.

For those looking for a more reflective assessment of the changing nature of adoption, this book has something to offer.

Beginning with a challenging interpretation of the historical role of adoption in society, it then gathers together evidence which demonstrates the dramatic change which has occurred to that role in recent years. By drawing from the unreported judgments of the High Court, the book provides a useful insight to evolving judicial policy in Northern Ireland.

Statistical and case-law material is used to set these changes into the context of modern developments in child care in particular and the framework of family law in general.

By concluding with a commentary on the recent white paper, "Adoption: The Future" (Cmnd 2288), this book ensures that the reader is up to date with the very latest developments in adoption law.