F7.10 Pre-adoption information (29/11/2010)

1. Under the Adoptions Act 1955, social workers approve prospective parents and report to the Family Court, which rules on individual adoptions.
2. Generally, the authorities in the child's country of origin must give permission for it to leave, and the adoption must conform with the law of that country.
3. INZ offices should advise prospective adoptive parents to consult the New Zealand Child, Youth and Family (CYF), and to contact the equivalent welfare agency in the child's country.
4. CYF will arrange for a home study and liaise with the appropriate inter-country adoption agency for a child study, after which CYF will advise INZ of the results.
5. CYF may also ask overseas posts to investigate the circumstances of the child.

Effective 29/11/2010