This statutory guidance explains the content of the different sets of regulations made under the Adoption and Children Act 2002, and the duties and responsibilities that they place on adoption agencies. It applies to domestic adoption in England only and should be read by everyone involved in the adoption of children - especially children’s social workers - and those who work with adopted adults and birth families.
This guidance is issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, requiring local authorities in their social services functions to act under the general guidance of the Secretary of State. As such, the document does not have the full force of statute, but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation.
Details of amendments to the statutory guidance can be found in Amendments to the statutory guidance, which can be downloaded from the associated resources section on the right-hand side of this page.
You can navigate through the statutory guidance using the menu on the left-hand side of the page. Alternatively, you can download it from the associated resources section on the right-hand side of this page.
