Contact and adoption

The Child Contact and Inter-Country Adoption Bill (formerly the Children (Contact) and Adoption Bill) was incorporated in the Queen’s speech as part of the 2005–06 legislative programme. The Bill seeks new methods of enforcing contact orders and also provides for the suspension of adoption agreements with countries whose adoption systems cause concern. The new proposals in respect of child contact will be contained in new sections following the existing s11 of the Children Act 1989. The proposals, which have yet to be thought through and debated, include enforcement orders, two methods of enforcement being a requirement to undertake unpaid work and a curfew. The Bill contains detailed provisions as to the conditions before an enforcement order can be made; provision for contact activity directions; provision to make orders for the facilitation and monitoring of contact; and compensation for parents for financial loss resulting from the other parent’s failure to comply with a contact order.