Illegal Adoption Placements
It is an offence for a person other than an adoption agency to make arrangements for the adoption of a child or place a child for adoption unless the proposed adopter is a relative or is acting according to a High Court order.
It is also an offence for a person to receive a child who is placed with them in breach of this rule.
Adoption, rather than Fostering must have been the intention at the time for it to be illegal. So foster parents who adopt later relying on the 12 month rule will not be caught.
It is also an offence to make or receive payments for an adoption.
Notification to Local Authority of adoption