To: Anna Winters - Directorate for Children & Families, Scottish Government
Help Fully Rectify Scotland's Adoption Legislation
I ask that the Directorate for Children & Families goes back to fully amend the Adoption Scotland Act 2007 within the Scottish Government.
An Amendment Order came into force on 7th May 2012 but was not passed with the positive approval of Parliament. This means that the legislation is still not fully clear and legally watertight for adopters who were granted a Freeing Order after the 28th September 2010, one such birth family in Scotland are currently trying to contest this legal loophole and until this case is clarified at Supreme Court other Freeing Orders cannot be relied upon that were granted post 28th Sept 2010.
An Amendment Order came into force on 7th May 2012 but was not passed with the positive approval of Parliament. This means that the legislation is still not fully clear and legally watertight for adopters who were granted a Freeing Order after the 28th September 2010, one such birth family in Scotland are currently trying to contest this legal loophole and until this case is clarified at Supreme Court other Freeing Orders cannot be relied upon that were granted post 28th Sept 2010.
Why is this important?
This is so important for childrens lives of those who were granted a Freeing Order for Adoption and which may have been granted after the 28th September 2010 cut off date. It left a legal 'loop-hole' which means the Freeing Order (which frees the child from his or her birth family legally) may not be fully valid, so any Adoption granted on the back of such a Freeing Order may not be totally watertight legally. This has many implications for the future of such children and the Scottish Government needs to make this legislation totally clear. My family are suffering financially and emotionally because of the uncertainty this has caused, we have been waiting more than 2years now for clarification. Please sign the petition to help put pressure on the government to clarify things once and for all. Thank you.
How it will be delivered
I plan to email the signatures to the Directorate for Children & Families to show them that we are serious that they need to amend the legislation with the positive approval of parliament to clarify this legislation FULLY.
