View report page

Adoption of Children (Regulation) Act, 1939.
This Act came into force on the 1st June,
1943. It deals with the registration of
Adoption Societies, the Registration Authority
being the Council of any County or County Borough.
The Registration Authority has to be satisfied
that the Society is a charitable association and
may refuse registration in certain circumstances,
having similarly power to cancel registration.
The Secretary of State is given power to make
regulations which may ensure that parents are
told in ordinary language their own legal
position and the effect of the adoption order.
The regulations may also require the supervision
of each case by a Case Committee. No application
to the Court for an adoption order shall
be made until three months after the child has
been delivered into the care and possession of
the proposed adopter. Section 7 of the Act
deals with the protection of adopted children
by Welfare Authorities such as the Borough
Council, making it the duty of any person other
than the child's parent or guardian or the person
with whom the child is placed who participates
in the arrangement for the placement of the
child to notify in writing the Borough Council.
The adopter must also inform the Borough Council
of any change of residence and in the case of
death of the child notify both the Welfare
Authority (the Borough Council) and the Coroner.
The Welfare Authority has power to make application
to the Court to remove a child on the same
grounds as those contained in the Child Life
Protection Sections of the Public Health Acts,
namely (a) regarding environment or (b) regarding
the fitness of the proposed adopter.
This Act for the most part places duties
on the County Council but in addition, by
Section 7, duties are imposed upon the Borough
22.