New provisions on the disclosure of information
Adoption and Children Bill
10:10 am
Sandra Walker (Assistant Director, Solicitor's Office Division C, Health and Personal Social Services, Department of Health):
The only point that I would add is that the decision about dispensing with consent is taken at the beginning of the adoption process, and is not something that is left until the end when positions have become entrenched. Such decisions are made at the start so local authorities and other agencies will not be able to place a child for adoption unless they have parental consent or a placement order.