s 53 Restricted payments to be sanctioned by court
53.—(1) This section applies to any payment or other reward in consideration of the adoption of a child or for any adoption‑related service, that before, on or after the date of commencement of this section was or is —(a) made or given directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or agreed to be made or given directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, by the joint applicants (or either of them) or sole applicant of an adoption application to any person; or (b) received directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or agreed to be received directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, by the joint applicants (or either of them) or sole applicant of an adoption application from any person, regardless of whether the adoption application has been made by the joint applicants or sole applicant (as the case may be) at the time that the payment or reward was made, given or received or agreed to be made, given or received. (2) Every payment or other reward to which subsection (1) applies, and every agreement for such payment or other reward, is void and unenforceable unless —(a) the payment, reward or agreement is sanctioned by the court; or (b) the adoption application in question is withdrawn or struck out. (3) An application for the sanction of the court mentioned in subsection (2)(a) must be made by the joint applicants or sole applicant (as the case may be) at the time that the adoption application is made.