Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Adoption Act 1984 - SECT 20A

Determinations by Secretary or approved agency

20A. Determinations by Secretary or approved agency

A person who may make arrangements or enter into negotiations under section 20
for or towards or with a view to making an adoption must not make an
assessment of the suitability of a person to adopt a child-

   (a)  in the case of a man and a woman who are married or living in a
        relationship referred to in section 11(1), unless the person who may
        make those arrangements or enter into those negotiations is satisfied
        that the man and woman have been married to each other or living in
        that relationship with each other for not less than 2 years;

   (b)  in the case of one person, if that person is married or living in a
        relationship referred to in section 11(1) and proposes adopting a
        child of his or her spouse or de facto spouse, or a child who is
        related to his or her spouse or de facto spouse, unless the person who
        may make those arrangements or enter into those negotiations is
        satisfied that the person seeking to adopt a child and his or her
        spouse or de facto spouse (as the case requires) have been married to
        each other or living in that relationship with each other for not less
        than 2 years.