Once made, the Adoption Order extinguishes all the rights and obligations of the
child's former family and creates a new legal relationship with the adopters'
family. An important feature is that the adopters may change the child's name.
The adoption itself must be registered, so that a new adoption certificate
will be issued. The child will be able to obtain a copy of his original birth
certificate only once he is 18. At that time he will also be able to access such
information as may have been provided by the birth family in the Adoption
Contact Register. Note that only the child has these rights.
The registers are maintained by the Registrar General.
The Court may impose conditions on the Order, with regard to religion or
contact, but is most unlikely to do so. It may also make orders prohibiting the
birth family from approaching the adopters.