Adoption and children bill set to become law

The Adoption and Children Bill has passed through the final
stage of the parliamentary process and is set to become law,
writes David Callaghan.

It includes controversial measures to allow adoptions by
unmarried and same sex couples, which held up progress of the bill.
The House of Lords opposed these measures at first before relenting
under pressure from MPs in the House of Commons.

Birth parents will also be given the right to trace their
adopted children dating back to 1945.

A spokesperson for BAAF Adoption and Fostering said: “The new
act will be a major step forward in the development of an adoption
service which puts the needs of children first.

“It is the first piece of major adoption legislation for over 25
years, and will shape the face of adoption in the future.”

The bill is due to receive royal assent on Thursday, but wil not
be fully enacted until 2004.

To read the bill and the parliamentary debates on the bill
click here