Prospective adopters of children living overseas may no longer have to travel to the child's country of origin to meet the child before being approved for adoption.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has proposed new regulations to remove the requirement following China's ultimatum that it was not prepared to allow further adoptions to the UK unless such a change was made.
Over half of the UK's intercountry adoptions are from China and the change would bring the UK in line with the 14 other countries with which China permits such adoptions.
If passed by Parliament, the change will come into force from 23 October this year.
Despite this potential change on the UK side, the DCSF said arrangements for introducing a child to the prospective adopters are a matter for the child’s country of origin and will vary from one country to another.
The DCSF has said it will write to every prospective adopter and their relevant agency at the appropriate stage of each future adoption, alerting them to the new procedures.
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