ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994 (Northern Territory)

These Regulations prescribe the procedures, forms and record-keeping obligations that operationalise the Adoption of Children Act 1994 in the Northern Territory. They set out how people apply to be approved for adoption (Form 1), what written information must be given to a person consenting to adoption (Form 2), the form and attestation requirements for consents (Form 3), and the mechanism by which a relinquishing parent may record preferences about placement and contact (Form 4). The Regulations further prescribe the memorandum and certificate formats for recording orders and Ministerial certification (Forms 5 and 6), the format for notices that prevent disclosure in respect of pre-3 May 1994 adoptions (Form 7), and the mechanics for registering adoptions and associated births (regulation 9-11, Forms 5 and 6).

Mechanically, the Regulations impose duties on the Minister (to receive applications and information), on applicants (to use Form 1 and, if required by the Minister, to provide medical reports, written authorisations for criminal history and medical information, or to undergo medical examination , reg 4(2)), on persons consenting to adoption (to give consent on Form 3 and have that consent witnessed in accordance with reg 6(2)-(3)), and on the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (to register adoption documents in the Register of Adoptions, to register or re-register births consequent on adoptions, to make corrections and cancellations, and to restrict inspection and issue of copies , regs 9-14). The Registrar is required to ensure searchability of adoption records by name or other identifiers (reg 9(5)), and where registers are kept electronically, to substitute identifying symbols for a handwritten signature and date (reg 3(3)).

The Regulations also impose confidentiality rules: the Register of Adoptions and adoption documents are not open to public inspection, and copies or extracts are only issued where a court orders disclosure, or where the Minister has provided certain information under Part 6 of the Act and the copy contains only information that may be provided, or where the Registrar is satisfied the copy is required for court proceedings and the Minister approves (reg 9(3)-(4)). There is a penalty for destroying or improperly obtaining a registration (reg 15). The Regulations create a formal notice of prohibition process for adopted persons and relinquishing parents to disallow the release of identifying information for adoptions before 3 May 1994 (reg 16, Form 7).

NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994 As in force at 20 June 2018 Table of provisions 1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1 2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1 3 Interpretation ................................................................................... 1 4 Application ....................................................................................... 1 5 Information to be given to person consenting .................................. 2 6 Consent to adoption ........................................................................ 2 7 Form of recording wishes of relinquishing parent ............................ 3 8 Prescribed forms for order for adoption, order discharging order for adoption and certificate issued by Minister ....................... 3 9 Register of Adoptions ...................................................................... 3 10 Certificate about adopted child ........................................................ 5 11 Registration of birth of adopted child ............................................... 6 12 Memoranda of orders sent to States and other Territories .............. 8 13 Correction of errors in Register of Adoptions ................................... 8 14 Cancellation of entries in Register of Adoptions .............................. 9 15 Offences relating to registration ....................................................... 9 16 Notice of prohibition ......................................................................... 9 17 Transitional matters for Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006 ........................................................................................ 10 Schedule ENDNOTES

NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA

As in force at 20 June 2018

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994 Regulations under the Adoption of Children Act 1994 1 Citation These Regulations may be cited as the Adoption of Children Regulations 1994. 2 Commencement These Regulations shall come into operation on the commencement of the Adoption of Children Act 1994. 3 Interpretation (1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, adopted person means a person in respect of whom an order for adoption has been made (whether made before or after the commencement of the Act) under a law in force in the Territory. (2) A reference in these Regulations to a form by number is a reference to the form so numbered in the Schedule. (3) If, in these Regulations, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is required to sign the Registrar's name or add the date in relation to the making of an entry, or a notation in respect of an entry, in a register and the register is kept by electronic means, it is sufficient compliance with that requirement if the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages enters identifying symbols equivalent to the Registrar's signature and to the date. 4 Application (1) An application by a person alone or a couple under section 17(1) of the Act (including the persons referred to in section 19 of the Act as applying to have their names included on the adoption list) shall be in accordance with Form 1.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 2 (2) The Minister may require that a person who makes an application for the purposes of adopting a child under section 17(1), in support of the application: (a) provides to the Minister: (i) a medical report in a form approved by the Minister; (ii) written authorization for the Minister to obtain a criminal history report in respect of the person from the Police Force of the Northern Territory of Australia; or (iii) written authorization for the release of medical information to the Minister; or (b) undergoes a medical examination by a medical practitioner approved by the Minister for that purpose. 5 Information to be given to person consenting For the purposes of section 30(2) of the Act, the information in respect of the effect of an order for adoption and the alternatives to adoption must be in accordance with Form 2. 6 Consent to adoption (1) A consent to the adoption of a child shall be in accordance with Form 3. (2) A person consenting to the adoption of a child shall sign and date the instrument of consent, or shall acknowledge signing and dating the instrument of consent, in the presence of 2 witnesses who shall be: (a) a commissioner for oaths, a justice of the peace, a lawyer (other than a lawyer acting for the person consenting to the adoption) or a public notary; and (b) an approved person (except that person shall not be the approved person who counselled the person consenting to the adoption in accordance with section 30(1) of the Act). (3) The witnesses referred to in subregulation (2) shall each attest and subscribe the instrument of consent in the presence of the person consenting to the adoption, but a form of attestation is not necessary.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 3 7 Form of recording wishes of relinquishing parent (1) A parent of a child who intends to relinquish a child for adoption may, in accordance with Form 4, record the parent's wishes in respect of the following: (a) the suitability of a person or persons to adopt the child; (b) arrangements with the adoptive parent or parents in respect of access to the child or the giving and receiving of information about the child; (c) the receipt of notice of the making of an application for an order for the adoption of the child in order to determine whether or not the parent wishes to be a party to the adoption proceedings. (2) A parent who records the parent's wishes in accordance with Form 4 may vary, amend or revoke that instrument: (a) in respect of a matter mentioned in subregulation (1)(a) or (b), at any time while the child is not allocated to a person or persons wishing to adopt the child; or (b) in respect of a matter mentioned in subregulation (1)(c), at any time before an application for an order for adoption is made to the Court. 8 Prescribed forms for order for adoption, order discharging order for adoption and certificate issued by Minister (1) A memorandum referred to in section 54(1) of the Act for an order for adoption must be in accordance with Form 5. (2) A memorandum referred to in section 54(1) of the Act for an order discharging an order for adoption must be in accordance with Form 5. (3) A certificate referred to in section 55(2) of the Act must be in accordance with Form 6. 9 Register of Adoptions (1) This regulation applies if any of the following (an adoption document) for a child is received by the Registrar: (a) a memorandum or certificate referred to in regulation 8(1), (2) or (3); (b) a copy of an order made under section 52 of the Act;

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 4 (c) a document forwarded to the Registrar under section 54(2) of the Act; (d) a memorandum or copy of an order referred to in section 57 of the Act. (2) The Registrar must register the adoption document by entering particulars about the child and parents of the child in the Register of Adoptions: (a) on the basis of the particulars (including incomplete particulars) in the adoption document and any order to which the document relates; and (b) as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances. (3) The following must not be open for public inspection: (a) the Register of Adoptions; (b) any of the following received by the Registrar: (i) an adoption document; (ii) a copy of an order to which an adoption document relates. (4) Subject to regulation 10, the Registrar must not issue a copy of, or an extract from, an entry in the Register of Adoptions or a document referred to in subregulation (3)(b), unless: (a) a court orders the Registrar to do so; or (b) both of the following apply: (i) the Minister has, under Part 6 of the Act, provided information associated with the entry or document; (ii) the copy or extract contains only information that may be provided under that Part; or (c) both of the following apply: (i) the Registrar is satisfied that the copy or extract is required for court proceedings; (ii) the issuing of the copy or extract is approved by the Minister.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 5 (5) The Registrar must ensure the information in the Register of Adoptions may be searched by reference to a name or other identifying information. (6) In this regulation: Registrar means the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. 10 Certificate about adopted child (1) A person may, in respect of an adopted person, make application in writing to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the issue of a certificate stating particulars, as they appear from an entry in the Register of Adoptions, of either of the following: (a) the date and place of birth of the adopted person; (b) the name or names of the adoptive parent or adoptive parents, as the case may be, of the adopted person. (2) The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages must not accept an application under subregulation (1) unless it specifies: (a) sufficient particulars in respect of the entry referred to in that subregulation which enable the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to identify the relevant entry; and (b) except where the application is made by the person to whom the entry relates, the reason for which the certificate is required. (3) Subject to this regulation, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages must, on receipt of an application duly made under subregulation (1) and the prescribed fee under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996: (a) search for the relevant entry in the Register of Adoptions; and (b) issue to the person making the application a certificate which states the name of the person to whom the entry relates, the date and place of birth of that person and the name or names of the adoptive parent or adoptive parents of that person. (4) If an application for the issue of a certificate under this regulation is made by a person other than the person to whom the relevant entry in the Register of Adoptions relates, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages may refuse to issue the certificate if the Registrar is of the opinion that the person making the application has not a proper reason for requiring the issue of the certificate.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 6 11 Registration of birth of adopted child (1) This regulation applies only to a child: (a) who was born in the Territory or an overseas country and in relation to whom: (i) an order for the adoption of the child under Part 3 of the Act has been made; or (ii) an order for the discharge of an order referred in subparagraph (i) has been made; or (b) who was born in an overseas country and in relation to whom all of the following conditions are satisfied: (i) under Part 4 of the Act, the adoption of the child is taken to have the same effect as an order for adoption made under the Act; (ii) the birth of the child is not registered under a corresponding law within the meaning of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996; (iii) at least one of the adoptive parents of the child is a resident of the Territory and has been residing in the Territory for a continuous period of at least 6 months; (iv) the child is a resident of the Territory. (2) If the Registrar registers the adoption of a child and the birth of the child is not registered in the Register of Births, the Registrar must: (a) register the birth of the child in the Register of Births; and (b) include in the entry under paragraph (a) a notation stating the birth of the child is registered under this subregulation. (3) If the Registrar registers the adoption of a child and the birth of the child is registered in the Register of Births, the Registrar must: (a) re-register the birth of the child in the Register of Births; and (b) include in the entry under paragraph (a) a notation stating the entry is made under this subregulation; and (c) include in the previous entry made for the child in the Register a notation stating: (i) the previous entry is no longer current; and

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 7 (ii) the birth of the child is re-registered under this subregulation. (4) If the Registrar registers the discharge of an order for the adoption of a child and the birth of the child was registered in the Register of Births before the order for the adoption was made, the Registrar must: (a) subject to any contrary direction in the order for the discharge – revive the entry for the child in the Register that was current immediately before the order for the adoption was made; and (b) include in the entry referred to in paragraph (a) a notation stating: (i) the order for the adoption has been discharged; and (ii) other entries in the Register for the child are no longer current; and (c) include in each of the other entries referred to in subparagraph (b)(ii) a notation stating: (i) the order for the adoption has been discharged; and (ii) the entry is no longer current (to the extent to which such a notation has not been included). (5) If the Registrar registers the discharge of an order for the adoption of a child and the birth of the child was not registered in the Register of Births before the order for the adoption was made, the Registrar must include in the current entry in the Register for the child a notation stating: (a) the order for the adoption has been discharged; and (b) the entry is no longer current. (6) The Registrar must register or re-register the birth of a child by entering particulars about the child and parents of the child in the Register of Births: (a) on the basis of the particulars (including incomplete particulars) in the adoption document referred to regulation 9(1) and any order to which the adoption document relates; and (b) as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 8 (7) Subject to regulation 3(3), a notation referred to in subregulation (2), (3), (4) or (5) must be signed and dated by the Registrar. (8) The notation must not be included in a copy of, or extract from, an entry in the Register of Births issued by the Registrar. (9) A registration or re-registration under this regulation has effect as if it were a registration made for section 13 of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act. Note for subregulation (9) Accordingly, a certificate may be issued by the Registrar in relation to an entry about the child under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996. (10) For this regulation: (a) a reference to the registration of the adoption of a child is a reference to the registration under regulation 9 of a document referred to in regulation 9(1) (other than a document about the discharge of an order for adoption) for the child; and (b) a reference to the registration of the discharge of an order for the adoption of a child is a reference to the registration under regulation 9 of a document referred to in regulation 9(1) about the discharge of an order for the adoption of the child. (11) In this regulation: Registrar means the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. 12 Memoranda of orders sent to States and other Territories A memorandum of an order for the adoption of a child, or an order discharging such an order, whose birth the registrar has reason to believe is registered in a State or in another Territory of the Commonwealth shall be in accordance with Form 5. 13 Correction of errors in Register of Adoptions (1) If the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is satisfied that the Register of Adoptions contains an error or misstatement in, or an omission from, any particulars entered in it under these Regulations, the Registrar may correct the Register of Adoptions by causing the true particulars or the particulars omitted from the Register of Adoptions, as the case may be, to be entered in the Register of Adoptions in association with the entry to which those last-mentioned particulars relate.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 9 (2) If the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages makes a correction in the Register of Adoptions under subregulation (1), the Registrar must sign the Registrar's name immediately under the correction and write the date on which the correction was made. 14 Cancellation of entries in Register of Adoptions (1) If the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is satisfied that an entry in the Register of Adoptions is false, the Registrar may cancel the entry by entering in association with the entry the words "Cancelled under regulation 14 of the Adoption of Children Regulations 1994", signing the Registrar's name immediately under those words and adding the date on which the entry was cancelled. (2) The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages may not cancel an entry in the Register of Adoptions if any error or misstatement in, or omission from, the Register of Adoptions can be corrected under regulation 13. 15 Offences relating to registration A person shall not: (a) destroy, deface or damage the Register of Adoptions; or (b) obtain the registration or re-registration of the birth of an adopted child otherwise than in accordance with these Regulations. Maximum penalty: 40 penalty units. 16 Notice of prohibition (1) For the purposes of section 65(2) of the Act, a notice of prohibition shall be in accordance with Form 7. (2) A person who lodges a notice of prohibition with the Minister may, at any time, revoke the notice of prohibition by notice in writing served on the Minister. (3) Service of the notice of revocation on the Minister under subregulation (2) shall be effected by delivering it personally, or by sending it by certified mail, to the appropriate office within the Department. (4) On being served the notice of revocation in accordance with subregulation (3), the Minister shall, as soon as practicable, cause a record of the details of the notice of revocation and its receipt to be made and thereupon the notice of revocation shall take effect.

Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 10 17 Transitional matters for Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006 (1) These Regulations as amended by the Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006 apply to an adoption made before, on or after the commencement of that Act. (2) However, they apply to a child for whom a registration was made in the Register of Adoptions before the commencement of that Act with the following modifications: (a) regulation 11(1)(b)(iii) and (iv) are taken to be omitted; (b) if the last entry for the registration was made on or after 3 May 1994 – the Registrar is not required to do anything under regulation 11 for the child unless an application for it is made to the Registrar; (c) if the last entry for the registration was made before 3 May 1994 – the Registrar is not required to do anything under regulation 11 for the child unless: (i) an application for it is made to the Registrar; and (ii) the Registrar considers it is appropriate in the circumstances. (3) In this regulation: Registrar means the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 11 Schedule FORM 1 regulation 4 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section 38 Adoption of Children Act 1994 ADOPTION APPLICATION Please return to Adoption Unit Territory Families PO Box 37037 WINNELLIE NT 0820 Full Names of Applicant(s) (Please PRINT) ...............................................................………………………………………… Phone Work: .............…… Home: …................ Postal Address: ...............................................…………………………………..

I/we apply to the Minister to be approved as suitable persons to adopt a child/children. I/we understand that being approved as suitable to adopt a child does not ensure that a child will be placed with me/us for adoption. Applicant's signature: ...........………………............ Applicant's signature: .......................……………… ...../...../....

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 12 INFORMATION REQUIRED FROM PERSONS SEEKING APPROVAL AS SUITABLE TO ADOPT A CHILD/CHILDREN The information you provide is designed to assist in the assessment of your suitability to adopt a child. It also includes some of the matters the Court will consider if you make an application to the Court to adopt a child. Information about your religion, race or ethnic background is relevant as the wishes of a birth parent must be taken into account before placing a child with you. Information provided must be correct at the time you sign the form, however it is understood your circumstances may change to some extent. If any question does not apply to you, please write "NA" in the answer space. PROPOSED ADOPTIVE PARENTS Parent 1 Surname .......................................................….. Given Names ..................................................... If surname has changed since birth, previous surnames (s) Parent 2 Surname .......................................................….. Given Names ..................................................... If surname has changed since birth, previous surnames (s) Date and Place of Birth ...../...../.... ...../...../.... ................…………………………………................. Occupation and Employer ............…..……………………………......…............. ………………………………………………..…………..............…........…............ If married or in a traditional Aboriginal marriage: Date and Place of Marriage/traditional Aboriginal marriage ...../...../.... .......................……………………………………………………… If in a de facto relationship: Date of commencement of relationship ...../...../.... Residential address (if not same as postal address) .........................................................……………..………………………………… Family religion .......................…………………………………………………….

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 13 Race or Ethnic origin .......................……………………………………………… ………………………………………………………......................……………… Date of citizenship/naturalisation ...../...../.... ....../...../.... Children of the above marriage/traditional Aboriginal marriage/de facto relationship NAME DOB SEX STATUS .....................................…………………………………………............................. ..............................................................…………………………………………… STATUS Natural N Adopted A Fostered F Previous Marriages/traditional Aboriginal marriages/de facto relationships

Divorce date and Number ...../...../.... ...../...../....
Death of Spouse – date ...../...../.... ...../...../....
Separation date (de facto relationships only) ...../...../.... ...../...../.... Children of previous marriage/traditional Aboriginal marriage, living with you/de facto relationship NAME DOB SEX STATUS ....................................…………………………………………….......................... .................................................……………………………………………............. STATUS Natural N Adopted A Fostered F Other residents in your home .................................…………………………….. Are you able to have children? ................................……………………………. Applicant's physical description ..............................…………………………….

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 14 Education History (Schools, approx. dates attended) .............................................................……………..……………………………… ...............................................................…………………………………………… Employment History (occupations, dates) Attach extra pages if necessary ......................................................………………....………………………………. ............................................................………………..……………………………. Interests/Activities ..........................................…………………………………….. Community Involvement .........................................…………………………….

FINANCIAL SITUATION Salary (gross weekly) .......................................…………………………….…... Other Income eg Rent, Maintenance, Interest ..................………………………………….………………...............…………… Bank Accounts and Overdrafts (details and approx. balance) ..................……………………………………...………………………................. Assets (other properties, vehicles etc and values) ..................…………………………………….........………………………........... Liabilities Commitments, hire purchase, loans, mortgage, details of monthly payments and length of debt.) ..................……………………………………...……………………..................... TOTAL Annual Income .................... .................... TOTAL Annual Expenses .................... ....................

Details of child you wish to adopt Please tick one box Local Overseas Preferred sex (if any): ......................………… Age range: .......….. Maximum age: ........….

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 15 Preferred ethnicity: .......................………………………………………………... Would you consider a child with a minor physical disability? Yes No Would you consider a child with an intellectual disability? Yes No Would you consider siblings? Yes No Have you previously been refused an adoption applicant? Yes No Yes No If 'yes', where? ................................................ Do you have a current adoption application with another agency? Yes No If "yes", where? ................................................

REFERENCES Please give details of two referees, excluding relatives.

Name: ....................................................…………………….……………… Occupation: ..............................................…….……………….….……………… Address: .................................................……………..……..………………...
Name: ....................................................…………………………………… Occupation: ..............................................……………………….………………. Address: .................................................……………………………………...

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 16 I hereby declare that the particulars show herein are true and correct .......................……………… …………………......................... Signature Signature ...../...../.... ...../...../....

Note You may be required to: (a) provide:

a medical report
written authorisation for Minister to obtain a criminal history check
written authorisation for the release of medical information to the Minister (b) undergo a medical examination by a medical practitioner of the Minister's choice

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 17 FORM 2 regulation 5 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section 30(2) Adoption of Children Act 1994 PRESCRIBED INFORMATION FOR PERSON CONSENTING TO ADOPTION THE EFFECT OF AN ORDER FOR ADOPTION On the making of an order for the adoption of a child: (a) the child becomes, for all purposes and as regards all relationships (but subject to Division 7 of Part 3 of the Act and any other law in force in the Northern Territory that expressly distinguishes between birth children and adopted children), the child of the adoptive parent or parents; (b) existing relationships in respect of the child cease to have effect except for the purpose of determining relationships relevant to an illegal marriage or the commission of a sexual offence; (c) an existing appointment as guardian ceases to have effect; (d) a previous adoption of the child ceases to have effect; (e) an order as to parentage or a maintenance order (except as to arrears owing) ceases to have effect; (f) rights in respect of property and succession to property are, subject to express provision otherwise, determined according to the relationship created by the adoption but property rights acquired before the adoption are not affected; (g) the child acquires the domicile of the adoptive parent, but the race, nationality and citizenship of the child are not affected. THE ALTERNATIVES TO ADOPTION The alternatives to relinquishing a child for adoption are: (a) the temporary placement of the child with relatives or friends until the parent or parents are able to care for the child. The parent or parents would remain the guardian(s) of the child and be responsible for the long term welfare of the child and make the decisions regarding the child's health, education and religious upbringing. The relatives or

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 18 friends would have responsibility for the daily care and control of the child including (as agreed) making decisions regarding accommodation, clothing, feeding, behaviour and urgent or routine health needs; (b) a temporary placement arrangement under section 46 of the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007; (c) the making of a formal guardianship or custody order under the Family Law Act in favour of relatives or friends where the parent or parents consider(s) that will not be able to care for the child for a long period of time. The parent or parents may apply to have the orders varied when they wish to assume responsibility for the child.

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 19 FORM 3 regulation 6 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section 31 Adoption of Children Act 1994 CONSENT OF ADOPTION I, (1) of (2) as (3) hereby consent to the adoption of (4) who was born on (5) at (6) *by any person or persons who the Minister, or the Minister's delegate, is satisfied is suitable to adopt (4) *by (7) (1) consented to the adoption of (4) after I provided, as required by section 30 of the Act: (a) counselling; and (b) the information in the prescribed form on (10)………. .......................………. .................... Signature Date

NOTES (1) Name of person consenting to the adoption. (2) Address of person consenting to the adoption. (3) Specify capacity in which consenting, eg: parent or guardian. (4) Name of child to be adopted as appears in Birth Register. (5) Date of birth of child to be adopted. (6) Place of birth of child. (7) Full name(s) and address(es) of person(s) to adopt the child where one is a relative of the child or the spouse of a relative of the child, or where the Minister as the child's guardian will consent to the adoption. (8) Name of approved person who counselled person consenting to the adoption. (9) Address of the approved person. (10) Date information given to persons consenting

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 20 FORM 4 regulation 7 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section Adoption of Children Act 1994 STATEMENT BY RELINQUISHING PARENT IN RESPECT OF ADOPTION

I have received advice and counselling concerning the adoption of my child and am aware that I may participate in the selection of the adoptive parents of my child and be advised when the application for an order for adoption of my child is to be made and that I may be a party to the adoption proceedings.
I do/do not wish to participate in the selection of the adoptive parents of my child.
I do/do not wish to be advised of the making of the application for an order for adoption and the date and time of the hearing of the application.
I do/do not wish that my child be placed with, and brought up by, a family that has the same ethnic and cultural origins as I do.
I do wish that my child be brought up in the religion.
I do/do not wish to have access to my child and/or receive information about my child after my child has been adopted. I am aware that such arrangements can only be made and continue in force while complied with by myself and the adoptive parent(s). I am also aware of the counselling and mediation facility provided under the Act should a dispute arise between myself and the adoptive parent(s) in respect of the arrangements.
I am aware that I may amend vary or revoke this statement before the allocation of my child to persons wishing to adopt my child concerning matters relating to the selection of the adoptive parents and otherwise at anytime. .......................………………... Signature Date
Delete where appropriate.

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 21 FORM 5 regulations 8 and 12 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA sections 54(1) and 56(2) Adoption of Children Act 1994 MEMORANDUM OF ORDER No. In the Local Court of the Northern Territory of Australia at Order Date of order Particulars of child Full name of child before adoption Sex of child Date and time of birth Place of birth Whether the child's birth is a multiple birth and if so, the numerical order in which the child was born Weight of child at birth Birth parent 1's full name at date of adoption Birth parent 1's previous surname(s) Birth parent 2's full name at date of adoption Birth parent 2's previous surname(s) Full name of child after adoption Particulars of adoptive parents Adoptive parent 1: full name previous surname(s) occupation usual place of residence date of birth place of birth age at date of birth of adopted child if the adoptive parent has had other children – the full name, sex and date of birth of each of them (including adopted children and deceased children) and whether the child arose from a current relationship

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 22 Adoptive parent 2: full name previous surname(s) occupation usual place of residence date of birth place of birth age at date of birth of adopted child if the adoptive parent has had other children – the full name, sex and date of birth of each of them (including adopted children and deceased children) and whether the child arose from a current relationship Other particulars Whether or not the child or a birth parent or adoptive parent of the child is of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin Whether the adoptive parents of the child are residents of the Territory and have been residing in the Territory for a continuous period of at least 6 months Whether or not the child is a resident of the Territory Whether the birth of the child has been registered in the Register of Births of a State or another Territory If the adoptive parents of the child are married or in a traditional Aboriginal marriage, place and date of marriage or traditional Aboriginal marriage If the adoptive parents of the child are in a de facto relationship, the date of commencement of the relationship Full name, sex and date of birth of each of the other children (including adopted children and deceased children) arising from the relationship between the adoptive parents of the child Full name, sex and date of birth of each of the other adopted children (including deceased children) of the adoptive parent of the child if the child only has one adoptive parent Full name, occupation, usual place of residence and relationship (if any) to the child, of the person furnishing the particulars in this form

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 23 Full name of the doctor, midwife or health worker responsible for the professional care of the birth parent who gave birth to the child at the birth, and other persons present at the birth Dated REGISTRAR

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 24 FORM 6 regulation 8 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section 55(2) Adoption of Children Act 1994 CERTIFICATE OF MINISTER I, (1), the Minister responsible for the administration of the Adoption of Children Act 1994, pursuant to section 55(2) of the Act, certify that the adoption of (2) (in relation to whom particulars are included in the Schedule) by (4) of (5) on (6) in (7) is an adoption to which section 51 of the Act applies. Dated MINISTER NOTES (1) Name of Minister (2) Full name of child the subject of the certificate (3) Date of birth of child (4) Full name of adoptive parent(s) of child (5) Address of adoptive parent(s) of child (6) Date of adoption (7) Country of adoption SCHEDULE Particulars of child Full name of child before adoption Sex of child Date and time of birth Place of birth Whether the child's birth is a multiple birth and if so, the numerical order in which the child was born Weight of child at birth Birth parent 1's full name at date of adoption Birth parent 1's previous surname(s) Birth parent 2's full name at date of adoption Birth parent 2's previous surname(s) Full name of child after adoption

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 25 Particulars of adoptive parents Adoptive parent 1: full name previous surname(s) occupation usual place of residence date of birth place of birth age at date of birth of adopted child if the adoptive parent has had other children – the full name, sex and date of birth of each of them (including adopted children and deceased children) and whether the child arose from a current relationship Adoptive parent 2: full name previous surname(s) occupation usual place of residence date of birth place of birth age at date of birth of adopted child if the adoptive parent has had other children – the full name, sex and date of birth of each of them (including adopted children and deceased children) and whether the child arose from a current relationship Other particulars Whether or not the child or a birth parent or adoptive parent of the child is of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin Whether the adoptive parents of the child are residents of the Territory and have been residing in the Territory for a continuous period of at least 6 months Whether or not the child is a resident of the Territory Whether the birth of the child has been registered in the Register of Births of a State or another Territory If the adoptive parents of the child are married or in a traditional Aboriginal marriage, place and date of marriage or traditional Aboriginal marriage If the adoptive parents of the child are in a de facto relationship, the date of commencement of the relationship

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 26 Full name, sex and date of birth of each of the other children (including adopted children and deceased children) arising from the relationship between the adoptive parents of the child Full name, sex and date of birth of each of the other adopted children (including deceased children) of the adoptive parent of the child if the child only has one adoptive parent Full name, occupation, usual place of residence and relationship (if any) to the child, of the person furnishing the particulars in this form Full name of the doctor, midwife or health worker responsible for the professional care of the birth parent who gave birth to the child at the birth, and other persons present at the birth

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 27 FORM 7 regulation 16 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA section 65(2) Adoption of Children Act 1994 NOTICE OF PROHIBITION THIS FORM IS TO BE USED BY AN ADOPTED PERSON OR A RELINQUISHING PARENT WHO WISHES TO DISALLOW THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION IN RESPECT OF AN ADOPTION WHICH TOOK PLACE BEFORE 3 MAY 1994 WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY THE PERSON OR PARENT. PLEASE PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU ARE ABLE TO AS THIS WILL ASSIST US IN QUICKLY LOCATING YOUR RECORDS. SECTION A – To be completed by all persons intending to lodge a notice of prohibition CURRENT SURNAME GIVEN NAMES DOB SEX CURRENT ADDRESS POSTCODE TELEPHONE (HOME) (WORK) ARE YOU (Please Tick Appropriate Box) an adopted person a relinquishing parent

SECTION B (to be completed by adopted person) YOUR ADOPTIVE PARENTS NAMES PARENT 1 PARENT 2 ADOPTIVE PARENTS ADDRESS AT TIME OF ADOPTION (if unknown – please indicate "unknown")

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 28 SECTION C (to be completed by relinquishing parent) RELINQUISHING PARENT/S FULL NAME/S AT THE TIME THE CHILD WAS RELINQUISHED FOR ADOPTION: PARENT 1.................... PARENT 2.................... (if recorded at time of birth) ADDRESS AT THAT TIME IF THE CHILD WAS NAMED AT BIRTH, WHAT WAS THAT NAME DATE OF BIRTH OF CHILD PLACE OF BIRTH OF CHILD

SECTION D (to be completed by all persons intending to lodge a notice of prohibition) TO THE MINISTER I wish to lodge a notice of prohibition under section 65(2) of the Adoption of Children Act 1994 to disallow the provision of information as follows: I disallow the provision of information in respect of the adoption details of which I have specified above. I disallow the provision of information that would identify me, being my name and last-known address and any other information kept under the Act which might enable a person to ascertain my identity and/or whereabouts. I wish this notice of prohibition to remain in force from (1) to (2) I understand the following in relation to the notice of prohibition: – The notice of prohibition will remain in force for the period I have specified herein; – I may renew the notice of prohibition for further periods each of which must not be more than 3 years; – If, on the expiration of the notice of prohibition, the Minister has not received notification of the renewal of the notice of prohibition, information that would identify me may be released;

Schedule Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 29 – Persons who lodge a notice of prohibition will be advised in writing of the receipt of the notice of prohibition and of confirmation of the date of expiration of the notice. No further advice for the renewal of the notice will be provided; – I may, at any time, revoke the notice of prohibition by notice in writing to the Minister in accordance with regulation 16(2) of the Adoption of Children Regulations 1994. NAME SIGNATURE DATE NOTES (1) Specify date the notice of prohibition is to commence. (Note, that date cannot be earlier than the date you sign the notice). (2) Specify date the notice of prohibition is to expire (which, in accordance with section 65(4) of the Act, must not be later than 3 years after the commencement date of the notice).

ENDNOTES Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 30 ENDNOTES 1 KEY Key to abbreviations amd = amended od = order app = appendix om = omitted bl = by-law pt = Part ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule cl = clause rem = remainder div = Division renum = renumbered exp = expires/expired rep = repealed f = forms s = section Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation lt = long title sub = substituted nc = not commenced 2 LIST OF LEGISLATION Adoption of Children Regulations (SL No. 12, 1994) Notified 3 May 1994 Commenced 3 May 1994 Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (Consequential Amendments) Act 1996 (Act No. 27, 1996) Assent date 19 April 1996 Commenced 1 January 1997 (s 2, s 2 Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 (Act No. 26, 1996) and Gaz G49, 4 December 1996, p 5) Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006 (Act No. 6, 2006) Assent date 26 April 2006 Commenced 26 April 2006 Legal Profession (Consequential Amendments) Act 2007 (Act No. 7, 2007) Assent date 17 May 2007 Commenced s 10: 1 July 2007 (Gaz G26, 27 June 2007, p 3); rem: 17 May 2007 Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (Act No. 37, 2007) Assent date 12 December 2007 Commenced Ch 1 and pts 3.3 and 5.1: 7 May 2008 (Gaz G18, 7 May 2008, p 4); Ch 2 (exc pt 2.1, div 6 and s 127), Ch 3, pts 3.1 and 3.2 (exc s 187) and Ch 5, pts 5.2 to 5.6: 8 December 2008 (Gaz G47, 26 November 2008, p 6); s 127: nc Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010 (Act No. 40, 2010) Assent date 18 November 2010 Commenced 1 March 2011 (s 2, s 2 Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations Act 2010 (Act No. 39, 2010) and Gaz G7, 16 February 2011, p 4)

ENDNOTES Adoption of Children Regulations 1994 31 Penalties Amendment (Children and Families, Health and Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources) Act 2011 (Act No. 28, 2011) Assent date 31 August 2011 Commenced 21 September 2011 (Gaz G38, 21 September 2011, p 4) Local Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 8, 2016) Assent date 6 April 2016 Commenced 1 May 2016 (s 2, s 2 Local Court (Repeals and Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 9, 2016) and Gaz S34, 29 April 2016) Adoption of Children Legislation Amendment (Equality) Act 2018 (Act No. 4, 2018) Assent date 19 April 2018 Commenced 20 April 2018 (s 2) Statute Law Revision Act 2018 (Act No. 10, 2018) Assent date 23 May 2018 Commenced 20 June 2018 (Gaz S41, 20 June 2018) 3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1, 10, 11 and 14 and sch. 4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS r 3 amd Act No. 4, 2018, s 11 r 5 amd Act No. 4, 2018, s 11 r 6 amd Act No. 7, 2007, s 16; Act No. 40, 2010, s 202 r 7 amd Act No. 4, 2018, s 11; Act No. 10, 2018, s 6 r 8 amd Act No. 27, 1996, s 6 sub Act No. 6, 2006, s 9 r 9 sub Act No. 6, 2006, s 9 r 10 amd Act No. 27, 1996, s 7(2); Act No. 6, 2006, s 10; Act No. 4, 2018, s 11 r 11 sub Act No. 6, 2006, s 11 r 12 amd Act No. 8, 2016, s 45 rr 13 – 14 amd Act No. 4, 2018, s 11 r 15 amd Act No. 6, 2006, s 12; Act No. 28, 2011, s 3 r 17 ins Act No. 6, 2006, s 13 sch amd Act No. 6, 2006, s 14; Act No. 37, 2007, s 341; Act No. 4, 2018, s 11

1 ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994

NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA

As in force at 20 June 2018

The Regulations rest on several recurring, operational concepts: prescribed forms, Registrar duties, confidentiality and controlled disclosure, evidentiary certificates, and processes for registration, correction and cancellation.

Prescribed forms and standardisation. The Regulations fix the exact forms to be used for adoption applications (Form 1), information provided to consenting persons (Form 2), consent instruments (Form 3), relinquishing-parent statements (Form 4), memoranda of orders and inter-jurisdictional memoranda (Form 5), Ministerial certificates (Form 6) and notices of prohibition for pre-1994 adoptions (Form 7) (regulations 4-8 and Schedule). These forms contain substantive content: Form 2 lists the legal effects of adoption and non-adoption alternatives; Form 1 requires extensive personal, financial and preference information from prospective adoptive parents; Form 5 sets out particulars that feed registration entries.
Registrar functions and discretion. The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is central. The Registrar must register adoption documents, enter particulars in the Register of Adoptions (even where particulars are incomplete) and determine entries "as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances" (reg 9(2)). The Registrar must also make adoption information searchable, restrict public inspection (reg 9(3)), conditionally issue copies or extracts (reg 9(4)), register or re-register births consequent on adoption (reg 11(2)-(6)), sign corrections or cancellations and record dates (regs 13-14), and follow prescribed notation rules and electronic-signature substitutes (reg 3(3), reg 11(7)-(9)).
Confidentiality and controlled disclosure. The Register of Adoptions and adoption documents are excluded from public inspection (reg 9(3)). Copies or extracts are only available under limited routes: court order (reg 9(4)(a)), Minister-provided information under Part 6 of the Act with matching content (reg 9(4)(b)), or Registrar-issued extracts approved by the Minister for court proceedings (reg 9(4)(c)). A notice-of-prohibition procedure exists for adopted persons and relinquishing parents to prevent identification for pre-3 May 1994 adoptions (reg 16, Form 7). The Regulations also protect notation content from being included in issued extracts (reg 11(8)).
Evidence and certificates. The Minister certifies certain adoptions for the purposes of s 51 of the Act using Form 6 (reg 8(3), Form 6). The Registrar issues certificates to applicants about an adopted person’s registered particulars, subject to identification and stated purpose and payment of the prescribed fee under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 (reg 10(1)-(4)). The Regulations therefore separate internal registers (restricted) from authorised documentary outputs for legal and administrative purposes.
Registration mechanics for birth entries. When an adoption is registered and birth is unregistered in the Register of Births, the Registrar must register the birth and include a notation that it was registered under reg 11(2); where the birth is already registered, the Registrar must re-register the birth and mark previous entries as no longer current, with appropriate notations (reg 11(3)-(4)). Where an order for discharge of adoption is registered, previous entries may be revived subject to the order (reg 11(4)). These mechanics affect the documentary identity of the child and related evidentiary certificates (reg 11(9) and note).
Correction and cancellation. The Registrar may correct errors and omissions in the Register of Adoptions by entering true particulars associated with the relevant entry and must sign and date corrections (reg 13). Cancellation is permitted where an entry is false, but not where the entry can be corrected (reg 14).

These concepts together establish a controlled, form-driven, Registrar-centred system for administering adoptions and the related civil status entries, with explicit confidentiality gates and Ministerial and judicial checkpoints for disclosure.

Primary actors:

Prospective adoptive persons and couples. Applications under s 17(1) of the Act must be made in Form 1. The Minister may require applicants to provide a medical report approved by the Minister, authorise a criminal history check from the Northern Territory Police, authorise release of medical information, or undergo a medical examination by a Minister-approved practitioner (reg 4(1)-(2)). The Form 1 schedule shows the breadth of personal, financial and family-history information the Minister will rely on when assessing suitability and compiling particulars for court consideration.
Persons consenting to adoption, including relinquishing parents. A person who consents must do so in Form 3 and sign or acknowledge the instrument of consent in the presence of two specified witnesses (reg 6(1)-(3)). Relinquishing parents who wish to record preferences can use Form 4 to state wishes about selection of adoptive parents, access arrangements, cultural or religious considerations, and whether they wish to be advised of the making of an application or to be party to proceedings (reg 7(1)-(2)). These regimes affect the privacy, participation rights and evidentiary status of birth parents.
Adopted persons. Adopted persons are affected by the registration and disclosure rules. They, or a relinquishing parent, can lodge a notice of prohibition disallowing the release of identifying information for adoptions before 3 May 1994 using Form 7 (reg 16, Form 7). Adopted persons are also the subjects of the Registrar’s registration, re-registration and notation processes that determine what appears on birth certificates (reg 11).
The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The Registrar must receive adoption documents, create Register of Adoptions entries using the particulars provided or as the Registrar considers appropriate (reg 9(1)-(2)), maintain confidentiality and searchability (reg 9(3)-(5)), register or re-register births following adoption and manage related notations (reg 11), and exercise powers to correct or cancel entries (regs 13-14). The Registrar also controls issuance of certificates under reg 10 and must follow the prescribed attestation and electronic-signature rules (reg 3(3)).
The Minister. The Minister holds operational discretion: to require additional documentation from applicants (reg 4(2)), to provide information under Part 6 of the Act that permits a Registrar-issued copy (reg 9(4)(b)), and to receive and process notices of prohibition and their revocation (reg 16(1)-(4) and Form 7 notes). The Minister also issues the s 55(2) certificate in Form 6 (reg 8(3), Form 6).
Courts and legal practitioners. Courts can order the Registrar to issue copies or extracts of entries (reg 9(4)(a)). Witnesses to consent must be a commissioner for oaths, a justice of the peace, a lawyer (not acting for the consenting person) or a public notary, plus an approved person (reg 6(2)). The regulations interact with the Local Court (memoranda in Form 5 indicate “In the Local Court of the Northern Territory” and the endnotes show related amendments to Local Court Acts).

Secondary actors and affected processes:

Health practitioners and police. The Minister can require a medical report in a form approved by the Minister and written authorisations for release of criminal history and medical information (reg 4(2)(a)(i)-(iii)). The Minister may also approve medical practitioners for examinations (reg 4(2)(b)).
Agencies administering birth registrations in other States and Territories. The Regulations require memoranda to be sent to other jurisdictions where a birth is believed to be registered elsewhere (reg 12), which affects inter-jurisdictional record-keeping and communication.
Legal advisers and notaries. The witness rules for consent and the possibility of court-ordered disclosure make legal involvement likely for consenting persons, for drafting applications, and for seeking relief or access to records.

Who bears costs and burdens:

Applicants bear compliance costs: completing Form 1 (extensive), providing medical reports or exams, authorising police checks and medical releases (reg 4(2)), and paying fees where prescribed (e.g. certificate fees under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act for reg 10 certificates). The Registrar and Department bear administrative costs of maintaining confidential electronic registers, implementing searchability obligations (reg 9(5)), and managing notices of prohibition and revocations (reg 16(4)).

In short, the Regulations affect prospective adoptive parents, consenting persons and relinquishing parents, adopted persons, the Registrar, the Minister, courts and certain professional gatekeepers (health, police, legal), with clear obligations and decision nodes allocated to the Minister and Registrar.

The Regulations allocate definable duties and rights across the Minister, Registrar, applicants, consenting parties and adopted persons. Below are the concrete operational duties, the rights they enable, and the decision points specified in the text.

Duties of applicants and prospective adoptive parents

Use Form 1 for applications to be approved as suitable under s 17(1) (reg 4(1), Form 1). The form requires extensive personal, household, financial and preference details; applicants must truthfully declare particulars and be prepared to provide further documentation.
Comply with Ministerial requirements for supporting material: the Minister may require a medical report in a form approved by the Minister, written authorisation for a criminal history check from the NT Police, written authorisation for medical information release, or to undergo a Minister-approved medical examination (reg 4(2)). These are mandatory when requested; failure would impede approval.

Duties and requirements for consent

The consent instrument must be in Form 3 (reg 6(1), Form 3).
Consent must be signed and dated by the consenting person in the presence of two witnesses: (a) a commissioner for oaths, a justice of the peace, a lawyer (not acting for the consenting person) or a public notary; and (b) an approved person (who must not be the approved person who counselled the consenting person under s 30(1) of the Act) (reg 6(2)). Each witness must attest and subscribe the instrument in the presence of the consenting person (reg 6(3)). These rules create an evidentiary formality and guard against undue influence.

Duties towards relinquishing parents

A relinquishing parent may record wishes on Form 4 covering suitability of prospective adoptive parents, access arrangements and participation in proceedings (reg 7(1), Form 4).
The relinquishing parent may vary, amend or revoke the Form 4 statement: in relation to selection and access (reg 7(2)(a)) while the child is not allocated, and in relation to being advised of an application before an adoption application is made to the Court (reg 7(2)(b)). This preserves a degree of continuing agency for birth parents until allocation or application stages.

Registrar duties

Register received adoption documents (which include memoranda, certificates, copies of orders and forwarded documents referred to in reg 9(1)) and enter particulars about the child and parents on the basis of particulars in the adoption document and as the Registrar considers appropriate (reg 9(1)-(2)). This is a duty to record, not an unfettered discretion to reject.
Maintain the Register of Adoptions as non-public and refuse public inspection of the Register and adoption documents (reg 9(3)).
Issue copies or extracts only in limited circumstances: court order (reg 9(4)(a)); where the Minister has provided information under Part 6 of the Act and the copy contains only information allowed under that Part (reg 9(4)(b)); or where the Registrar is satisfied the copy is required for court proceedings and the Minister approves (reg 9(4)(c)).
Ensure searchability by name or other identifying information (reg 9(5)).
Register or re-register births consequent on adoption and include prescribed notations (reg 11(2)-(6)). If re-registering, mark previous entries as no longer current and include appropriate notations (reg 11(3)).
Make corrections to the Register when satisfied an error or omission exists and sign and date corrections (reg 13(1)-(2)).
Cancel false entries following the prescribed wording and sign and date cancellations, but only where correction would not suffice (reg 14(1)-(2)).

Ministerial powers and duties

The Minister may require supporting material from applicants (reg 4(2)).
The Minister provides certain information under Part 6 of the Act which, if provided, allows some copies or extracts to be issued by the Registrar (reg 9(4)(b)). The Minister also receives notices of prohibition and revocations and must cause a record of revocations to be made as soon as practicable (reg 16(2)-(4)).
The Minister certifies adoptions under s 55(2) using Form 6 (reg 8(3), Form 6).

Rights of persons

Consenting persons have the right to be counselled and to receive prescribed information about the effects of adoption and alternatives (reg 5, Form 2; reg 6(2) referencing counselling in Form 3 notes).
Relinquishing parents have the right to record and amend their wishes under Form 4 until allocation or application stages as specified (reg 7(2)).
Adopted persons and others may apply to the Registrar for certificates stating particulars from the Register of Adoptions (reg 10(1)-(3)), subject to identification, stated purpose (reg 10(2)(b)), prescribed fees under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act (reg 10(3)) and the Registrar’s discretion to refuse if the applicant lacks a proper reason (reg 10(4)).
Adopted persons or relinquishing parents have the right to lodge a notice of prohibition to block release of identifying information for pre-3 May 1994 adoptions (reg 16(1), Form 7). They can revoke notices at any time by written notice served on the Minister (reg 16(2)-(4)).

Limitations and enforcement

Public inspection of registers and general disclosure are limited; the court may order disclosure (reg 9(4)(a)), creating a legal pathway that rights-holders or litigants may pursue.
There is a criminal offence in relation to destroying or damaging the Register or obtaining registration/re-registration otherwise than in accordance with the Regulations, with a maximum penalty of 40 penalty units (reg 15). This creates a deterrent against unauthorised manipulation.

These duties and rights combine to produce a tightly form-driven process with explicit evidentiary prerequisites for consent, a Registered-centred confidentiality regime, Ministerial gatekeeping on evidence requirements, and limited judicial avenues for disclosure.

The Regulations set a limited but explicit criminal enforcement mechanism and multiple administrative enforcement levers distributed among the Registrar, the Minister and the courts.

Criminal penalty

The only express criminal offence in these Regulations is contained in regulation 15. It proscribes two acts: destroying, defacing or damaging the Register of Adoptions, and obtaining the registration or re-registration of the birth of an adopted child otherwise than in accordance with these Regulations. The maximum penalty is 40 penalty units (reg 15). The exact monetary value of a penalty unit is not stated in the Regulations; it is determined under the wider statutory scheme applicable in the Northern Territory.

Administrative enforcement powers and controls

Registrar controls and constraints. The Registrar exercises enforcement through record-keeping controls: refusal to issue copies or extracts unless the criteria in reg 9(4) are met (court order, Minister-provided information under Part 6, or Registrar satisfaction plus Minister approval for court proceedings). This gives the Registrar administrative leverage to control disclosure and thus enforce confidentiality rules. The Registrar also has the power to correct errors (reg 13) and to cancel false entries (reg 14), and must sign and date such corrections or cancellations, creating an auditable administrative record.
Ministerial oversight. The Minister may require applicants to provide authorised medical reports, concede authorisations for criminal history and medical releases, or undergo Minister-approved medical examinations (reg 4(2)). The Minister’s role in providing information under Part 6 of the Act creates a gatekeeping function that affects the Registrar’s ability to issue copies under reg 9(4)(b). The Minister receives and must record notices of prohibition and revocations (reg 16(2)-(4)), and thus enforces the non-disclosure protections for specified adoptions.

Judicial enforcement and review

Court orders override confidentiality. The Regulations explicitly permit a court to order the Registrar to issue copies or extracts of entries in the Register of Adoptions or adoption documents (reg 9(4)(a)). This provides a legal enforcement route for parties seeking access to records. The Regulations do not specify the criteria a court must apply , that remains a matter for judicial discretion under the Act and general law , but the presence of the court-order mechanism means litigants may challenge Registrar or Minister refusals through the courts.

Administrative remedies and procedural obligations

Procedural obligations such as the requirement for consents to be witnessed by two specified persons (reg 6(2)-(3)) create evidentiary standards that can be enforced administratively by courts reviewing consent validity, or by the Registrar when examining documents lodged for registration. The Registrar’s duty to ensure searchability (reg 9(5)) and adherence to electronic-signature equivalence (reg 3(3)) impose operational standards that the Registrar must meet, and which agencies or persons could query if administrative practice falls short.

Enforcement gaps and discretion

The Regulations give the Registrar and the Minister several discretions (e.g. “as the Registrar considers appropriate” in reg 9(2); Minister may require material under reg 4(2)). Those discretions are not circumscribed with detailed procedural constraints within the Regulations themselves. Discretion creates administrative flexibility but also potential for dispute about whether discretion was exercised appropriately; the court-order provision provides the principal legal check.

Practical enforcement consequences

Parties requesting certificates or copies must expect administrative gatekeeping and possible requirement of court orders to obtain restricted documents (reg 9(4), reg 10(2)-(4)). Those who destroy, damage or improperly obtain registrations face criminal exposure (reg 15). Applicants and consenting persons must ensure procedural compliance with witnessing and attestation requirements to avoid challenge to the validity of consent instruments.

In short, the Regulations combine a narrow criminal sanction with stronger administrative controls exercised by the Registrar and the Minister, underpinned by the court’s power to order disclosure where appropriate.

The Regulations operate as delegated legislation under the Adoption of Children Act 1994 and explicitly interlock with several other statutes and administrative regimes. The endnotes and cross-references in the body of the Regulations identify the principal interactions.

Primary enabling statute: Adoption of Children Act 1994

These Regulations are made under the Adoption of Children Act 1994 and implement procedural and evidentiary detail referred to in the Act (for example, forms for memoranda under s 54(1) and Ministerial certificate under s 55(2) are prescribed by reg 8 and Forms 5 and 6). Many procedural rules for consent, registration and prohibitions connect directly to statutory provisions in the Act. Where the Regulations refer to sections (e.g. s 30(2) in reg 5), they prescribe the form and content required by the Act.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996

The Regulations require that fees for certificates issued under reg 10 be the prescribed fee under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 (reg 10(3)). Regulation 11(9) expressly states that a registration or re-registration under reg 11 has effect as if it were a registration made for section 13 of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, which means entries give rise to certificates under that Act (reg 11(9) and note). The Regulations also use the definition “corresponding law” in the context of registration in other jurisdictions (reg 11(1)(b)(ii)).

Care and Protection of Children Act 2007

The Regulations refer to temporary placement arrangements under section 46 of the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 as an alternative to relinquishing a child for adoption (Form 2, “The alternatives to adoption”). This situates adoption within the broader child-welfare legislative scheme and identifies custodial and temporary placement alternatives that may affect a parent’s decision-making.

Local Court and inter-jurisdictional cooperation

Memoranda of orders sent to States and other Territories are prescribed in Form 5 (reg 12), and the Schedule’s Form 5 references the Local Court of the Northern Territory for orders (Form 5 heading). The endnotes show amendments relating to the Local Court (Local Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016), indicating that the Regulations have been updated to track procedural changes in the court system (see endnotes).

Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations; Legal Profession

Witnessing requirements for consents refer to categories of authorised witnesses that are regulated by other statutes and amendments: commissioners for oaths, justices of the peace, lawyers, public notaries (reg 6(2)). The endnotes list the Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010 and the Legal Profession (Consequential Amendments) Act 2007 as amending the Regulations, indicating interaction with statutes governing those professions and witnessing regimes.

Penalty unit regime and amendment Acts

The express penalty in reg 15 (40 penalty units) is calculated under the Territory’s penalty-unit framework; the endnotes record a Penalties Amendment Act 2011 that affected penalties. The Regulations have also been amended across time by the Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006, which inserted transitional reg 17 and altered other provisions (endnotes).

Electronic records and interpretation amendments

Regulation 3(3) provides that where registers are kept electronically, entry of identifying symbols equivalent to a signature and date satisfies signature requirements. The Interpretation Legislation Amendment Act 2018 made formal amendments to certain regulations to reflect modern legislative drafting (endnotes).

Confidentiality and Part 6 of the Act

Regulation 9(4)(b) links the Registrar’s ability to issue copies or extracts to the Minister’s disclosures under Part 6 of the Adoption Act. The content the Minister may provide under Part 6 of the Act determines what limited information may be released administratively by the Registrar.

In summary, the Regulations implement detailed administrative processes that sit alongside and depend upon the Adoption Act, the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, childcare legislation (Care and Protection Act), Local Court procedure, witnessing regimes, and the Territory’s penalty-unit and interpretation frameworks. Practical operation requires coordination between the Registrar, the Minister, court processes and other regulatory regimes such as police criminal-history checks and authorised medical reporting.

The Regulations have been amended multiple times since first being made in 1994. The endnotes provide a chronology of Acts that have altered the Regulations or generated consequential amendments. Key amendments and their mechanical effects in the Regulations are as follows.

Initial notification and commencement

Adoption of Children Regulations (SL No. 12, 1994), notified 3 May 1994 and commenced 3 May 1994 (endnotes list).

Significant amending Acts

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (Consequential Amendments) Act 1996 (Act No. 27, 1996) (assent 19 April 1996, commenced 1 January 1997) amended regulation 8 and regulation 10 among others (endnotes and list of amendments indicate r 8 amd Act No. 27, 1996, s 6; r 10 amd Act No. 27, 1996, s 7(2)).
Adoption of Children Amendment Act 2006 (Act No. 6, 2006) (assent 26 April 2006, commenced 26 April 2006) made multiple substantive alterations: it substituted regs 8 and 9 (see list), added transitional matters in reg 17 (ins Act No. 6, 2006, s 13) and amended the Schedule. The 2006 amendments also created reg 17 transitional arrangements dealing with adoptions before, on or after the commencement of that Act, modifying how reg 11 applies to registrations made before commencement (reg 17(1)-(3)). The Schedule was amended by Act No. 6, 2006 (sch amd Act No. 6, 2006, s 14).
Legal Profession (Consequential Amendments) Act 2007 (Act No. 7, 2007) amended regulation 6 to reflect witness categories and legal profession changes (r 6 amd Act No. 7, 2007, s 16).
Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (Act No. 37, 2007) influenced the explanatory content in Form 2 by cross-referencing temporary placement under s 46 of that Act (sch amd Act No. 37, 2007, s 341).
Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010 (Act No. 40, 2010) amended reg 6 (r 6 amd Act No. 40, 2010, s 202), reflecting changes to the categories of authorised witnesses and statutory formalities.
Penalties Amendment (Children and Families, Health and Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources) Act 2011 (Act No. 28, 2011) amended reg 15 to set or adjust the penalty unit quantum (r 15 amd Act No. 28, 2011, s 3).
Local Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 8, 2016) amended regulation 12 (r 12 amd Act No. 8, 2016, s 45), reflecting procedural changes in the Local Court system.
Adoption of Children Legislation Amendment (Equality) Act 2018 (Act No. 4, 2018) made a package of amendments on 20 April 2018 (r 3, r 5, r 7, r 10, rr 13-14 all amended by Act No. 4, 2018, s 11), indicating updates to definitions, the information to be given to persons consenting, and Register of Adoptions processes.
Statute Law Revision Act 2018 (Act No. 10, 2018) commenced 20 June 2018 and made formal revisions to the Schedule and some regulations (r 7 amd Act No. 10, 2018, s 6; general amendments noted in endnotes under point 3).

Other formal amendments

The Interpretation Legislation Amendment Act 2018 made formal, non-substantive amendments to rr 1, 10, 11, 14 and the Schedule (endnote 3). The list of amendments in the Regulations’ endnotes summarises specific regulation changes and the amending Act sections.

Transitional regime

The 2006 Amendment Act added reg 17, which provides transitional treatment for adoptions and registrations made before the commencement of that Act. It contains carved-out modifications to how reg 11 applies to such children depending on when the last Register entry was made relative to 3 May 1994 (reg 17(2)(a)-(c)).

Schedule changes and form updates

The Schedule (Forms 1-7) has been amended on several occasions to update content, statutory references and procedural material. The endnotes indicate that sch was amended by Act No. 6, 2006, Act No. 37, 2007 and Act No. 4, 2018.

In sum, the Regulations have evolved through a sequence of amending Acts to reflect changes in birth-registration law, court procedure, legal witnessing regimes, child-protection law, and anti-discrimination/equality moves in 2018. The amendments have altered forms, registration mechanics and transitional arrangements. For precise drafting history and the exact text of each amendment, the relevant Acts and the reprint notes set out in the endnotes should be examined.

The Regulations themselves do not include any case law or cite judicial decisions. The provided text lists no litigation or decisions that have interpreted these Regulations. Therefore, within the source material available here, there is no recorded litigation history to summarise.

What the Regulations do identify, however, are the judicial touchpoints where litigation or court involvement may arise:

Court-ordered disclosure. Regulation 9(4)(a) explicitly allows a court to order the Registrar to issue a copy of, or an extract from, an entry in the Register of Adoptions or an adoption document that would otherwise be withheld. That provision is a clear statutory invitation to litigants seeking access to records to apply to a court for relief. The Regulations do not set criteria for such orders; the Act and judicial principles will guide courts in deciding when to override confidentiality protections.
Validity of consent. The Regulations prescribe formal witness and attestation requirements for consents (reg 6(2)-(3)). Where the validity of consent is contested in proceedings, courts will examine compliance with these formalities and the counselling and information-giving requirements captured in reg 5 and Form 2. Disputes over whether consent was informed or properly witnessed are potential litigation issues.
Registrar and Minister discretion. Several provisions give administrative discretion (for example, reg 9(2) permits the Registrar to enter particulars “as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances”; reg 4(2) gives the Minister discretion to require certain documents). Litigation could arise where affected persons challenge the exercise of such discretion, alleging procedural unfairness or error of law. The Regulations themselves do not contain remedies or appeal paths beyond the standard judicial review mechanisms available under Territory administrative law.
Correction and cancellation. The Registrar’s power to correct or to cancel entries (regs 13-14) will occasionally be a locus of dispute if a person claims an entry is false or asserts that a cancellation was improper; those disputes may result in court proceedings.
Notices of prohibition and revocation. The process for lodging notices of prohibition (reg 16 and Form 7) and their revocation could give rise to litigation where a person seeks to prevent disclosure and another party seeks disclosure, or where the Minister’s recording practices are contested.

Because the Regulations allow courts to order disclosure and because they create obligatory administrative processes and formalities with legal consequences, litigation is predictable but the Regulations do not supply a litigational record.

If a practitioner requires concrete precedent, they must consult the published decisions of the Northern Territory courts and relevant appellate courts to see how s 54/55, s 65 and the Regulations’ disclosure and consent provisions have been interpreted. The Regulations themselves, as provided, do not report any case authorities.

Several technical and procedural pitfalls arise from the Regulations’ detailed requirements and the exercise of administrative discretion. Below are concrete risks and traps to watch for, each grounded in the relevant regulation or form.

Form and witnessing mismatches invalidate consent

Consent must be in Form 3 and signed or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses of defined categories: one must be a commissioner for oaths, justice of the peace, lawyer (not the consenting person’s lawyer) or public notary; the other must be an approved person but must not be the same approved person who counseled the consenting person under s 30(1) of the Act (reg 6(1)-(3)). Failure to satisfy either the prescribed form or the witness categories may raise a question about the validity of consent, and may require remedial court action to validate an adoption or to admit a different form of evidence.

Conflict between approved person and counsellor

An approved person who witnesses a consent must not be the same person who counselled the consenting person (reg 6(2)(b) and Form 3 notes). Using the same person for both roles may breach the regulation and create evidentiary challenge points.

Ministerial discretion to require additional material imposes cost and delay

The Minister may require medical reports in a Minister-approved form, written authorisation for criminal history checks, written authorisation for the release of medical information, or a Minister-approved medical examination (reg 4(2)). This can impose additional documentary and procedural costs on applicants and can delay approvals if not anticipated. The Regulations do not prescribe timeframes for Ministerial requests.

Registrar discretion on incomplete particulars

The Registrar must enter particulars “on the basis of the particulars (including incomplete particulars) in the adoption document and any order to which the document relates” and “as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances” (reg 9(2)). This language permits the Registrar to make judgment calls on how to record incomplete or ambiguous information; parties cannot assume rigid adherence to a single standard and should anticipate follow-up queries or differing entries.

Restricted access and three-way gatekeeping

Copies/extracts from the Register of Adoptions are restricted (reg 9(3)-(4)). A court may order disclosure, the Minister may have provided specified information under Part 6 of the Act (permitting only certain information to be disclosed), or the Registrar may approve disclosure for court proceedings (with Ministerial approval). Practitioners seeking information must therefore be prepared to pursue court orders or engage the Minister. The multi-step approval process creates friction and potential delay.

Notations are not included in issued extracts

The Registrar must include particular notations when registering/re-registering births (reg 11(2)-(5)) but those notations must not be included in a copy of, or extract from, an entry in the Register of Births issued by the Registrar (reg 11(8)). This means a third-party receiving a birth-certificate style extract will not see the administrative notation indicating a re-registration or discharge of an adoption, potentially obscuring the registration history and giving rise to downstream evidentiary or family-law complications.

Electronic-signature equivalence

Where a register is kept electronically, entering identifying symbols equivalent to the Registrar’s signature and date suffices (reg 3(3)). The Regulations do not prescribe standards for those “identifying symbols.” Reliance on electronic equivalents without clear provenance or audit trails may create evidentiary contests about signatures or dates in later disputes.

Pre-1994 adoptions: notice-of-prohibition timing and renewal trap

Form 7 and reg 16 enable adopted persons and relinquishing parents to lodge notices of prohibition to block release of identifying information for adoptions before 3 May 1994. Notices must specify a period (and may be renewed for further periods not exceeding 3 years , Form 7 notes referencing s 65(4) of the Act). The Minister does not send renewal reminders; the person must renew actively before expiry to maintain protection. Failure to renew can lead to disclosure after expiry, which is a practical trap: privacy protection is not perpetual without proactive renewal.

Discrepancies between adoption document particulars and other registrations

Forms 5 and 6 require detailed particulars drawn from adoption proceedings. Because the Registrar may rely on incomplete particulars and has discretion in how to record entries (reg 9(2)), discrepancies may arise between the adoption record and earlier birth records. These mismatches can complicate later identity, succession or inheritance issues.

Criminal exposure for improper registration practices

Obtaining registration or re-registration “otherwise than in accordance with these Regulations” is an offence with a maximum penalty of 40 penalty units (reg 15(b)). Parties involved in attempting to manipulate or shortcut registration procedures risk criminal sanction.

Transitional tweaks for older registrations

Regulation 17 modifies how reg 11 applies to adoptions and registrations made before the 2006 Amendment Act. For children with registrations before that date, reg 11(1)(b)(iii) and (iv) are taken to be omitted and the Registrar’s obligations depend on when the last entry was made relative to 3 May 1994 (reg 17(2)(a)-(c)). Practitioners dealing with historical adoptions should carefully check whether transitional modifications apply and whether an application is required to trigger Registrar action.

In each “gotcha”, the fix is procedural: follow the exactly prescribed forms, check who witnesses consents, proactively request or provide the Minister-required materials, seek court orders where Registrar/Minister gatekeeping may prevent necessary disclosure, and track expiry and renewal of notices of prohibition. The Regulations’ reliance on formality and Registrar/Minister discretion creates both compliance friction and litigation flashpoints if those formalities are overlooked.

This section offers a practical compliance checklist and procedural steps drawn directly from the Regulations. It is formatted for practitioners and administrative officers who must prepare applications, consent instruments, and register adoptions.

Use the prescribed forms exactly

Adoption applications must be on Form 1 (reg 4(1)). Consents must be in Form 3 (reg 6(1)). Relinquishing-parent statements must be in Form 4 (reg 7(1)). Memoranda of orders and Ministerial certificates must use Forms 5 and 6 respectively (reg 8(1)-(3)). Notice of prohibition must use Form 7 (reg 16(1) and Form 7). Ensure no deviations in material content, as the Regulations require the prescribed forms.

Prepare for Ministerial evidence requirements

Anticipate that the Minister may require a medical report in a Minister-approved form, written authorisation to obtain a criminal history report from NT Police, written authorisation for release of medical information, or a medical examination by a Minister-approved practitioner (reg 4(2)). Include written authorisations and be ready to arrange medical reports early to avoid delays.

Consent execution and witnessing

Ensure the consenting person signs or acknowledges the Form 3 consent in the presence of two witnesses: one person from the list (commissioner for oaths, JP, lawyer not acting for the consenting person, or public notary) and an approved person who did not counsel the consenting person (reg 6(2)). Record the attestations and have witnesses subscribe. Keep evidence of the counselling session and the date on which Form 2 information was provided (Form 3 notes require that date).

Provide prescribed information to consenting persons

Before obtaining consent, provide the person with the information set out in Form 2, which explains the legal effect of an order for adoption and alternatives to adoption (reg 5, Form 2). Keep records confirming the information was given and the date (Form 3 requires a date entry).

Relinquishing parent statements and variations

If a birth parent wishes to record preferences, use Form 4. Be aware that the relinquishing parent may vary, amend or revoke the Form 4 statement: matters of selection or access can be varied while the child is unallocated; matters about being advised of an application can be varied before an application to the Court is made (reg 7(2)). Track and document any amendments carefully.

Lodging adoption documents with the Registrar

When a memorandum, certificate, copy of an order, or forwarded document arises as per reg 9(1), lodge it with the Registrar so an entry can be made in the Register of Adoptions. Provide full particulars in the format suggested by Form 5; the Registrar will register on the basis of those particulars but may enter incomplete particulars and exercise discretion (reg 9(2)). Keep copies of the adoption document and any court orders.

Managing confidentiality and seeking copies

If you expect the need for copies or extracts from the Register of Adoptions, plan for one of the permissible routes in reg 9(4): obtain a court order for disclosure; rely on the Minister having provided information under Part 6 so that the copy contains only permissible material; or obtain Registrar approval for court proceedings with Minister approval. If seeking access for litigation, include an application to the relevant court early.

Requests for certificates about adopted persons

Applications for certificates (reg 10) must specify sufficient particulars to identify the entry and, where the applicant is not the person to whom the entry relates, the reason for requiring the certificate (reg 10(2)). Be ready to pay the prescribed fee under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 (reg 10(3)). Expect the Registrar to refuse where no proper reason is demonstrated (reg 10(4)).

Birth registration and re-registration mechanics

If an adoption is registered and the birth was not previously registered in the Register of Births, apply to the Registrar for registration of the birth under reg 11(2). If the birth is already registered, expect re-registration and notation of previous entries as no longer current (reg 11(3)). Note that the registrar’s notations will not appear in issued extracts (reg 11(8)), so request guidance if the notation is material to the recipient’s needs.

Correction and cancellation procedures

If errors are discovered or false entries suspected, apply under reg 13 to have the Registrar correct errors or omissions, which will be entered and signed and dated by the Registrar (reg 13(1)-(2)). If an entry is false and cannot simply be corrected, apply for cancellation under reg 14; expect the Registrar to insert the required words, sign and date the cancellation (reg 14(1)-(2)).

Notices of prohibition and revocation

For adoptions before 3 May 1994, adopted persons or relinquishing parents wishing to prevent release of identifying information must lodge a notice of prohibition in Form 7 (reg 16(1), Form 7). The notice may specify a period up to three years and can be renewed; practitioners should advise clients about the need to renew and that the Minister will not proactively remind them (Form 7 notes). Revocation is effected by serving written notice on the Minister (reg 16(2)-(4)); service must be personal delivery or certified mail to the Department office, and the Minister will note receipt as soon as practicable (reg 16(3)-(4)).

Electronic registers and signatures

If records are kept electronically, the Registrar can use identifying symbols equivalent to signature and date (reg 3(3)). Ensure that electronic signatures used have verifiable audit trails so that the Registrar’s identifying symbols will withstand later scrutiny.

Avoid prohibited practices

Do not attempt to register or re-register the birth of an adopted child otherwise than in accordance with these Regulations; doing so risks prosecution under reg 15(b). Protect the Register from unauthorised damage or destruction (reg 15(a)).

Transitional and historical cases

For adoptions and registrations made before the 2006 Amendment Act, consult reg 17 for transitional modifications. In particular situations the Registrar may only act upon application and may consider whether action is appropriate where the last entry predates 3 May 1994 (reg 17(2)(b)-(c)). When dealing with older adoptions, obtain a clear chronology of prior entries and confirm whether reg 17 applies.

Practical recordkeeping and file management

Keep copies of all forms, witness attestations, counselling records, counselling dates and medical/criminal-history authorisations; maintain a checklist to ensure all prescribed elements for consent and registration are present before lodging with the Registrar or Minister. Track dates and renewal deadlines for any notice of prohibition.

In short, compliance requires strict adherence to the prescribed forms and witness rules, proactive gathering of Ministerially-requested materials, anticipation of Registrar discretion and confidentiality gates, and clear documentary chains for any electronic signatures or notations. Where access to restricted records is needed, plan promptly for a court application or Ministerial engagement.

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994

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What it does

Current sections

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994

Source text: opening excerpt

1 ADOPTION OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS 1994

Main concepts

Who it affects

Key duties and rights

Penalties and enforcement

How it interacts with other laws

Amendment history

Litigation history

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How to comply