Legal background Adoption
The legislation governing adoption agencies and their functions is set out in Part 1 (the Adoption Service) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Part 1 provides for local authorities to maintain an Adoption Service to meet the needs of certain people in their area, provides that, as part of that Service, local authorities must provide facilities for the provision of adoption support services, and provides for a general power to regulate adoption agencies.
	The Adoption and Children Act 2002 will continue to be the main Act governing adoption agencies and their functions and this Act inserts a new provision into that Act and repeals the current section 3A (recruitment, assessment and approval of prospective adopters).