• Specific Year
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ADOPTION ACT 1994

Table of Provisions

PART 1 -- Preliminary  

  • 1 Short title
  •  
  • 2 Commencement
  •  
  • 3 Paramount considerations when administering Act etc.
  •  
  • 4 Terms used
  •  
  • 4A Presumptions of parentage in Family Court Act 1997, when applicable
  •  
  • 5 Crown bound

PART 2 -- Adoption agencies

Division 1 -- Authority to conduct adoption services  

  • 6 Adoption services, conduct of by CEO or delegate
  •  
  • 7 Adoption services, conduct of by birth parent to facilitate adoption by step-parent
  •  
  • 8 Unauthorised adoption services, offences as to

Division 2 -- Private adoption agencies  

  • 9 Private adoption agencies, licensing of
  •  
  • 10 Regulations as to licensing private adoption agencies
  •  
  • 11 Pretending to be etc. private adoption agency, offence

Division 3 -- Adoption applications committee  

  • 12 Appointment of committee
  •  
  • 13 Functions of committee
  •  
  • 14 Membership of committee
  •  
  • 15A CEO may give committee general directions
  •  
  • 15 Procedure etc. of committee

PART 3 -- The adoption process

Division 1 -- Preliminary matters  

  • 16 Birth parent wanting to have child adopted, CEO’s duties as to
  •  
  • 16A Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, CEO’s duties as to prospective adoption of

Division 2 -- Consent to adoption  

  • 17 Persons whose effective consent is required
  •  
  • 18 Effective consent, meaning of
  •  
  • 20 Prospective adoptive parent, who can be specified as in consent
  •  
  • 21 Man who may be prospective adoptee’s father to be notified of consent etc.
  •  
  • 22 Revoking consent, time limit for
  •  
  • 23 Revoking consent, formalities for

Division 3 -- Court applications as to consents to adoption and notices  

  • 24 Consent requirement (s. 17), Court may dispense with
  •  
  • 25 Service of notice requirements (s. 21), Court’s powers as to
  •  
  • 26 Parenting order application (s. 21), Court’s powers as to

Division 3A -- Court applications for determinations of parentage  

  • 26A Terms used
  •  
  • 26B Application of this Division
  •  
  • 26C Determination of parentage, application for
  •  
  • 26D Application under s. 26C, Court’s powers as to
  •  
  • 26E Parentage testing order, ancillary orders for
  •  
  • 26F Adult contravening parentage testing order, consequences of
  •  
  • 26G Parentage testing order against child, execution and contravention of
  •  
  • 26H Person testing child under parentage testing order, liability of
  •  
  • 26I Report for this Division, receipt of by Court as evidence etc.
  •  
  • 26J Revoking consent after s. 26C application made

Division 4 -- Parental responsibility for prospective adoptees  

  • 27 Who has parental responsibility after consent requirements met
  •  
  • 28 Who has parental responsibility where consent requirements not met etc.
  •  
  • 29 When parental responsibility ceases
  •  
  • 30 CEO having parental responsibility, duties of if not possible or desirable to place child for adoption
  •  
  • 31 CEO having parental responsibility, powers of as to care of child
  •  
  • 32 Person with parental responsibility, duties of
  •  
  • 33 CEO with parental responsibility, when may renounce or transfer responsibility
  •  
  • 34 Corresponding officer with parental responsibility, when CEO may request transfer etc. of responsibility
  •  
  • 35 Removing child from WA without consent, offence

Division 5 -- Court applications as to parental responsibility for children awaiting adoption  

  • 36 Parental responsibility etc., Court’s powers as to

Division 6 -- Prospective adoptive parents  

  • 37 CEO to inform etc. prospective adoptive parents
  •  
  • 38 Applying to be prospective adoptive parent
  •  
  • 39 Who can apply under s. 38(1)
  •   40. Assessment report for s. 38(1) applicant, CEO to arrange  
  • 41A CEO may conduct checks of s. 38(1) applicant
  •  
  • 41 Assessment report to be given to adoption applications committee etc.
  •  
  • 42 Committee may review own decision
  •  
  • 43 Committee’s decision, CEO to advise applicant of etc.
  •  
  • 44 Register of s. 38(1) applicants etc., CEO’s functions as to

Division 7 -- Placement of prospective adoptees  

  • 45 Person consenting to child’s adoption, CEO to seek wishes of etc. as to prospective adoptive parents
  •  
  • 46 Adoption plan, negotiation and content of etc.
  •  
  • 47 Adoption plan, CEO’s duties as to
  •  
  • 48 After adoption plan agreed, CEO to place child
  •  
  • 49 Adoption plan not agreed, CEO’s powers in case of
  •  
  • 50 Dispute in negotiating adoption plan, Court’s powers as to
  •  
  • 51 Medical report on child required before placed for adoption
  •  
  • 52 Prerequisites for CEO placing child for adoption
  •  
  • 53 Placing child who cannot be placed under s.
  •  
  • 54 Child’s welfare etc. during placement, CEO to arrange supervision of

Division 8 -- Adoptions by step-parents, relatives or carers  

  • 55A Placement of child with relative or carer, approval of by CEO
  •  
  • 55B CEO may conduct checks of s. 55A(1) applicant
  •  
  • 55C When application by relative or carer for adoption order can be made
  •  
  • 55 Adoption plan required for adoption by step-parent, relative or carer

Division 9 -- Applications for adoption orders  

  • 56 When application for adoption order can be made
  •  
  • 57 Court may override s.
  •  
  • 58 CEO to be notified of intention to apply for adoption order etc.
  •  
  • 59 Relatives etc. to be notified of intention to apply for adoption order if birth parent deceased or cannot be found
  •  
  • 60 Court may vary or override s. 58(1) or 59(2)
  •   61. Report for Court, CEO to arrange after receipt of s. 58(1) notice  
  • 62 Application for adoption order, filing formalities for
  •  
  • 63 Intervention by CEO or others in adoption order proceedings
  •  
  • 64 Evidence on application for adoption order

Division 10 -- Adoption orders  

  • 65 Residential etc. prerequisites to making adoption order
  •  
  • 66 Who may be adopted
  •  
  • 67 Who may adopt
  •  
  • 68 Adoption order for child, preconditions for making etc.
  •  
  • 69 Adoption order for adult, preconditions for making etc.
  •  
  • 70 Adoption plan, Court may allow added parties to
  •  
  • 71 Court’s other powers on adoption applications
  •  
  • 72 Adoption plan, Court approval of required; enforcement of
  •  
  • 73 Adoption plan, Court may dispense with requirement for
  •  
  • 74 Name of adoptee, Court to declare
  •  
  • 75 Effect of adoption order
  •  
  • 76 Adoption plan, varying
  •  
  • 77 Discharge of adoption order
  •  
  • 78 Court to notify Registrar of adoption order etc.

Division 11 -- Adoption of a child in Western Australia who is to live in a Convention country  

  • 78A Adoption order for WA resident child by Convention country person, prerequisites for making etc.
  •  
  • 78B Adoption compliance certificate for s. 78A order, issue of for Hague Convention

PART 4 -- Adoptions information

Division 1 -- Adoption information services  

  • 79 CEO’s duties as to adoption information services
  •  
  • 80 Death of party to adoption etc., CEO to notify certain persons

Division 2 -- Access to adoptions information  

  • 81 Terms used and application of Division
  •  
  • 82 Access to certain information, application for and grant by CEO of
  •  
  • 83 Court may prevent CEO granting access under s. 82(2) etc.
  •  
  • 84 Court records of adoption proceedings, who has right of access to
  •  
  • 85 Registration of adoptee’s birth, who has right of access to
  •  
  • 86 Portion of registration of birth not referring to adoption, Registrar may issue copy of
  •  
  • 88 Non-identifying information held by adoption agency, who has right of access to
  •  
  • 89 Death of party to adoption, who has right of access to information in case of
  •  
  • 90 If adoptee cannot be found, who has right of access to information in case of

Division 3 -- Exchange and preservation of adoptions information  

  • 91 Court to give CEO information
  •  
  • 92 Registrar to give CEO information
  •  
  • 93 Persons conducting etc. adoption services, CEO may direct to give CEO information
  •  
  • 94 Records of adoptions etc., preservation of

Division 4 -- Contact vetoes  

  • 99 Register of contact vetoes, CEO to maintain
  •  
  • 100 Duration of contact vetoes
  •  
  • 102 Confirming, cancelling and varying veto
  •  
  • 103 Undertaking not to contact person who has lodged contact veto required before access to information granted

Division 5 -- Private contact and mediation licensees  

  • 105 Contact and mediation agencies to be licensed
  •  
  • 106 Licence to conduct contact and mediation services, grant of
  •  
  • 107 Regulations as to contact and mediation agencies
  •  
  • 108 Contact and mediation agencies bound by contact veto

Division 6 -- Updating non-identifying information  

  • 109 CEO, on request, to attempt to obtain current information

PART 5 -- Review of decisions and appeals

Division 1 -- Review by CEO  

  • 110 Review by CEO of certain decisions, application for
  •  
  • 111 Nature of review by CEO and evidence
  •  
  • 112 CEO’s powers on review

Division 2 -- Review by State Administrative Tribunal  

PART 6 -- Offences  

  • 120 Terms used
  •  
  • 121 Territorial application of s. 122 to
  •   122. Making or receiving payment for adoption, adoption service etc.  
  • 123 Advertising child for adoption etc.
  •  
  • 124 Publishing identity of party to adoption etc.
  •  
  • 125 Threat against person to induce consent etc.
  •  
  • 126 Harassing etc. party to adoption etc.
  •  
  • 127A False etc. information in application etc.
  •  
  • 127B Party to proposed adoption etc. to notify CEO of certain information etc.
  •  
  • 127 Disclosure etc. of information restricted
  •  
  • 128 Prosecutions, who can commence and time limit for
  •  
  • 129 Evidentiary matters

PART 7 -- Miscellaneous

Division 1 -- Delegation and protection  

  • 130 Delegation by CEO
  •  
  • 130A Delegation by State Central Authority
  •  
  • 131 Protection from personal liability
  •  
  • 132 Distribution of property by trustee etc. without notice of adoption order

Division 2 -- Proceedings  

  • 133 Court etc. proceedings to be in private
  •  
  • 134 Child, representation of

Division 2A -- State Central Authority  

  • 134A Minister is Central Authority for WA for Hague Convention etc.
  •  
  • 134B Functions of the State Central Authority

Division 3 -- Non-Western Australian adoptions  

  • 135 Arrangements with other States and Territories, Minister may make
  •  
  • 136 Recognition of other Australian adoptions
  •  
  • 136A Recognition in WA of adoption in Convention country of child resident in that country by Australian resident
  •  
  • 136B Court may terminate relationship of child and parent of certain adopted children
  •  
  • 136C Recognition in WA of adoption of child resident in Convention country by person resident in another such country
  •  
  • 136D Recognition under s. 136A, effect of
  •  
  • 136E Recognition in WA of decision in Convention country to convert adoption under Hague Convention Art.
  •  
  • 136F Court may declare recognition under s. 136A or 136C of no effect in WA
  •  
  • 136G Adoption compliance certificate, evidential value of
  •  
  • 136H Person wishing to adopt child in Convention country, State Central Authority to report on
  •  
  • 137 Arrangements with other countries, Minister may make
  •  
  • 138 Recognition in WA of foreign country adoptions
  •  
  • 138A Recognition in WA of adoption in overseas jurisdiction of child resident in that jurisdiction by Australian resident
  •  
  • 138B Recognition under s. 138A, effect of
  •  
  • 138C Adoption certificate, evidential value of
  •  
  • 138D Person wishing to adopt child in overseas jurisdiction, CEO may report on
  •  
  • 139 Certain children in WA adopted outside Australia, CEO’s powers to supervise welfare etc. of

Division 4 -- Financial assistance and payment for services  

  • 140 Financial assistance, CEO’s powers to provide
  •  
  • 141 Services provided by CEO, payments for

Division 5 -- Rules and regulations  

  • 142 Rules of Court
  •  
  • 143 Regulations

Division 6 -- Repeal, transitional and savings, consequential amendments and review  

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