Commentary on Sections Part 3 – Miscellaneous and Supplementary Section 149: Search and inspection of the register by prospective adopters
Section 149 provides for regulations to allow for the search and inspection of the register by prospective adopters who are suitable to adopt a child to enable them to identify a child on the register for whom they might be appropriate adopters. A prospective adopter is suitable to adopt a child if an adoption agency is satisfied that they are suitable to have a child placed with them for adoption (section 151(2)(b)). The regulations may restrict access to certain parts of the register only, or only to specified content on the register (subsection (2)) and the regulations may also set out terms and conditions of access to the register (subsection (3)). Subsection (4) provides that regulations may prescribe the steps that prospective adopters must follow in relation to the information they have received through their search of the register. Subsection (5) provides that the regulations may prescribe the payment of a fee to the Department or the registration organisation by the prospective adopters for the searching or inspecting of the register.