XN000022-1977-06-03 — Page 8

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1977

AMENDMENT TO ADOPTION ORDINANCE PROPOSED

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CONSENT TO ADOPTION MAY BE GIVEN BY THE NATURAL PARENT OF A CHILD IN A NEW GENERAL FORM IF THE ADOPTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977 IS PASSED INTO LAW.

UNDER THE AMENDING BILL, WHICH IS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY, IF THE CONSENT IS NOT REVOKED WITHIN THREE MONTHS, ADOPTION PROCEDURES MAY PROCEED WITHOUT FURTHER REFERENCE TO THE PARENT.

AFTER THREE MONTHS, IF AN ADOPTION ORDER HAS NOT YET BEEN ISSUED, THE CONSENT MAY ONLY BE REVOKED BY ORDER OF THE COURT ON THE APPLICATION OF THE PARENT.

THE PROPOSED GENERAL FORM OF CONSENT WILL NOT REPLACE THE EXISTING STANDARD FORM WHICH RELATES TO SPECIFIC ADOPTION PROCEDURES, BUT WILL MERELY PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE FORM WHEREBY A PARENT MAY, BEFORE ANY PROCEEDINGS ARE ANTICIPATED, INDICATE GENERALLY A CONSENT TO ANY SUBSEQUENT ADOPTION OF THE CHILD.

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WILL USE HIS DISCRETION TO CONSIDER WHICH OF THE TWO FORMS OF CONSENT THE NATURAL PARENT WILL GIVE.

OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE AMENDING BILL WILL ENABLE THE COURT TO CONSIDER, BEFORE MAKING AN ADOPTION ORDER, WHETHER THE REAL IDENTITY OF THE CHILD SHOULD BE DISCLOSED TO HIM, WITH REGARD TO THE V EWS OF THE ADOPTER, THE OPINION OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE AGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD.

THE COURT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO AN ADOPTION ORDER AND THE ADOPTED CHILDREN REGISTER WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE NAME OF THE ADOPTED CHILD, MADE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE ORDER.

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