Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Adoption Chapter 3  - Placement for Adoption and Adoption Orders Section 24: Revoking placement orders
89.Section 24 makes provision for the revocation of placement orders.  A local authority or the child (or a person acting on behalf of the child) may apply to revoke a placement order at any time. Any other person, for example the parent, may apply for the revocation of a placement order with the leave of the court if the child is not yet placed for adoption by the authority.  Leave cannot be given by the court unless it is satisfied that there has been a change in circumstances since the order was made.
90.Subsection (4) provides that a court may discharge a placement order if, at the final adoption order hearing, it decides not to make an adoption order in respect of the child. It may be that the court decides not to make the adoption order because it considers that the child should not be placed for adoption, in which case it may discharge the placement order. Alternatively, if the court considers that the child should still be placed for adoption with a view to being adopted at a future date, it may decide that the placement order shall continue.