Act of Sederunt (Child Care and Maintenance Rules) 1997

• Citation: S.I. 1997/291
• Sections: 239

Section 1.1 Citation and commencement

(1) This Act of Sederunt may be cited as the Act of Sederunt (Child Care and Maintenance Rules) 1997 and shall come into force on 1st April 1997.

(2) This Act of Sederunt shall be inserted in the Books of Sederunt.

Section 1.2 Interpretation

(1) In this Act of Sederunt, unless the context otherwise requires–

“Ordinary Cause Rules” means the First Schedule to the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 ;

“Principal Reporter” is the person referred to in section 14 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 or any person carrying out the functions of the Principal Reporter by virtue of paragraph 10(1) of schedule 3 to that Act;

“ sheriff clerk ” includes sheriff clerk depute.

(2) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act of Sederunt to a specified Chapter, Part or rule shall be construed as a reference to the Chapter, Part or rule bearing that number in this Act of Sederunt, and a reference to a specified paragraph, sub-paragraph or head shall be construed as a reference to the paragraph, sub-paragraph or head so numbered or lettered in the provision in which that reference occurs.

(3) Any reference in this Act of Sederunt to a numbered Form shall be construed as a reference to the Form so numbered in Schedule 1 to this Act of Sederunt and includes a form substantially to the same effect with such variation as circumstances may require.

Section 1.3 Affidavits

An affidavit required in terms of any provision of this Act of Sederunt may be emitted–

(a) in the United Kingdom, before a notary public or any other competent authority;

(b) outwith the United Kingdom, before a British diplomatic or consular officer, or any person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation under the law of the place where the oath or affirmation is made.

Section 1.4 Revocations and transitional provisions

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Acts of Sederunt mentioned in column (1) of Schedule 2 to this Act of Sederunt are revoked to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) or in Chapter 2 shall affect any cause which has been commenced before 1st April 1997 and to which that Chapter would otherwise apply, and such a cause shall proceed according to the law and practice in force immediately before that date.

(3) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall affect any cause to which paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 3 to the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 applies, and such a cause shall proceed according to the law and practice in force immediately before 1st April 1997.

Section 1.5 Vulnerable witnesses

(1) This rule shall apply to proceedings under these rules, except those proceedings to which the rules in Part XI of Chapter 3 apply.

(2) At any hearing on an application under these rules, the sheriff shall ascertain whether there is or is likely to be a vulnerable witness who is to give evidence at or for the purposes of any proof or hearing, consider any child witness notice or vulnerable witness application that has been lodged where no order has been made under section 12(1) or (6) of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 and consider whether any order under section 12(1) of that Act requires to be made.

(3) Except where the sheriff otherwise directs, where a vulnerable witness is to give evidence at or for the purposes of any proof or hearing in an application under these rules, any application in relation to the vulnerable witness or special measure that may be ordered shall be dealt with in accordance with the rules within Chapter 45 of the Ordinary Cause Rules.

(4) In this rule, “vulnerable witness” means a witness within the meaning of section 11(1) of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004.

Section 1.6 Lodging audio or audio-visual recordings of children

(1) In this rule “child” is a person under the age of 16 on the date of commencement of the proceedings and “children” shall be construed accordingly.

(2) Except where the sheriff otherwise directs, where a party seeks to lodge an audio or audio-visual recording of a child as a production in an application under this Act of Sederunt, this shall be done in accordance with and regulated by Chapter 50 of the Ordinary Cause Rules.

(3) A party who has lodged a recording of a child shall—

(a) within 28 days after the final determination of the application, where no subsequent appeal has been made , or

(b) within 28 days after the disposal of any appeal made in relation to the final determination of the application,

uplift the recording from process.

(4) Where a recording has not been uplifted as required by paragraph (3), the sheriff clerk shall intimate to—

(a) the solicitor who lodged the recording, or

(b) where no solicitor is acting, the party or such other party as seems appropriate,

that if he or she fails to uplift the recording within 28 days after the date of such intimation, it will be disposed of in such a manner as the sheriff directs.

Section 2.1 Interpretation

In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires–

“the Act” means the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978 ;

“the 1995 Act” means the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 ;

...

...

“Her Majesty’s Forces” means the regular forces as defined in section 374 of the Armed Forces Act 2006; and

“Registrar General” means the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for Scotland.

Section 2.2 Expenses

The sheriff may make such an order with regard to the expenses, including the expenses of a reporting officer and a curator ad litem or any other person who attended a hearing, of an application under this Chapter as he thinks fit and may modify such expenses or direct them to be taxed on such scale as he may determine.

Section 2.3 Intimation to Principal Reporter

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.4 Timetables under section 25A of the Act

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.5 Petition

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.6 Agreement and consents to order freeing child for adoption

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.7 Appointment of curator ad litem and reporting officer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.8 Duties of reporting officer and curator ad litem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.9 Procedure where child wishes to express a view

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.10 Declaration made under section 18(6) of the Act

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.11 Hearing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.12 Confidentiality

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.13 Adoption Register

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.14 Final procedure

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.15 Application for revocation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.16 Appointment of curator ad litem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.17 Procedure where child wishes to express a view

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.18 Hearing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.19 Application to place a child

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.20 Further application with leave of the court

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.21 Application for adoption order

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.22 Additional requirements where child to be adopted abroad

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.23 Consents and agreements to adoption orders

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.24 Protection of identity of petitioner

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.25 Appointment of curator ad litem and reporting officer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.26 Duties of reporting officer and curator ad litem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.27 Procedure where child wishes to express a view

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.28 Hearing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.29 Insufficient evidence

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.30 Confidentiality

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.31 Communications to the Registrar General

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.32 Adoption orders

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.33 Final procedure

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.34 Amendment of adoption order

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.35 Revocation of adoption order

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36 Application for removal of child pending adoption

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36A Interpretation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36B Application for a Convention adoption order

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36C Process and form of application

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36D Application of Part IV of Chapter 2 to Convention adoption orders

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36E Appointment of curator ad litem and reporting officer

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36F Hearing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.36G Communications to the Registrar General

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 2.37 Interpretation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .