Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Adoption definition

What does Adoption mean? Adoption is the court process by which an adult or couple becomes a child’s legal parent(s), permanently replacing the legal status of the birth parent(s). When an adoption order is made, parental responsibility (England & Wales and Northern Ireland) or parental responsibilities and rights (Scotland) transfers in full to the adopter(s); the birth parents’ legal rights and duties are extinguished, subject to any contact the court may authorise. The child is treated in law as the child of the adopter(s) for all purposes, including name, birth registration and inheritance. The law is statutory in each jurisdiction (for example, the...

Relinquished children: adoption agency duties, welfare checklist and panel decisions under ACA 2002/AAR 2005 (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Local Government expert

Practice notes

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ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained.

What is the definition of a relinquished child?

There is no formal legal definition of a relinquished child. In practical terms, the label generally describes circumstances in which a child’s Parent or parents want their child to be adopted.

The Adoption Agency

An adoption agency is a Local authority adoption agency or a registered adoption society. The agency’s role is to consider whether adoption is the most suitable overall option for a child.

What should an adoption agency take into account when considering whether adoption is the best option for a child?

The agency must have regard to the welfare checklist set out in section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (ACA 2002) when deciding whether adoption is in a child’s best interests. This confirms the principle that a child’s welfare is the paramount consideration and that any delay in reaching the decision is likely to prejudice the child’s welfare. The matters which the agency should take into account, set out at ACA 2002, s 1(4) include:

the child’s wishes and feelings
the child’s particular needs
effect on the child throughout their life of

...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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