Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023)

• 1. Short title

• 2. Interpretation

• 3. Purpose

• 4. Functions of the Minister

• 5. Designation of child care service

• 6. Functions of the Director

• 7. Request for service from agencies

• 8. Delegation

• 9. Committees

• 10. Request for assistance from parent or child

• 11. Response to request

• 12. Alternative dispute resolution

• 13. Report of child in need of care or protection

• 14. Protection of person

• 15. Investigation and assessment

• 16. Conduct of investigation and assessment

• 17. Order for the provision of information or assistance

• 18. Report of investigation and assessment

• 19. Action by Director

• 20. Warrant

• 21. Assumption of care responsibility by the Director

• 22. Prompt application to court for a care order

• 23. Record of report and subsequent action

• 24. Care application

• 25. Notification of care application

• 26. Consideration of care plan

• 27. Review of care plan

• 28. Withdrawal of care application

• 29. Making of care order

• 30. Care and protection order

• 31. Effect of care and protection order

• 32. Duration of care and protection order

• 33. Duty of Director after termination of care and protection order

• 34. Emergency protection order

• 35. Duration of emergency protection order

• 36. Care responsibility

• 37. Delegation of care responsibility

• 38. Discharge of child from care responsibility

• 39. Transfer of child from child care service

• 40. Assessment order

• 41. Matters for consideration in making assessment order

• 42. Information concerning assessment

• 43. Report of assessment

• 44. Supervision order

• 45. Requirements of supervision order

• 46. Duration of supervision order

• 47. Duties of the Director in relation to a supervision order

• 48. Enforcement of supervision order

• 49. Contact order

• 50. Interim or final order

• 51. Making of interim care order

• 52. Child and family assessment report before final order

• 53. Parties to receive copy of final order

• 54. Variation and revocation of care order

• 55. Escape from a child care service

• 56. Other orders which may be made by the Court

• 57. Order accepting undertakings

• 58. Order for the provision of support services

• 59. Support services by government department, agency or funded non-government agency

• 60. Order to attend therapeutic or treatment programme

• 61. Compulsory assistance order

• 62. Contribution order

• 63. Orders with significant impact on persons

• 64. Application for recovery order

• 65. Recovery order

• 66. Conditions for foster care

• 67. Responsibility of foster parent

• 68. Visits to child in foster care

• 69. Persons prohibited from receiving a foster child

• 70. Transfer of foster child kept in unsuitable premises or by unsuitable persons

• 71. Notice to be given of change of residence

• 72. Foster parent to give notice

• 73. Establishment of Adoption Committee

• 74. Terms of appointment

• 75. Functions of the Adoption Committee

• 76. Secretary to the Adoption Committee

• 77. Office of the Adoption Committee

• 78. Oath or affirmation of secrecy

• 79. Conduct of meetings of the Adoption Committee

• 80. Report to the Minister

• 81. Placement of a child for adoption

• 82. Application for placement of a child

• 83. Home study assessment

• 84. Decision of the Adoption Committee

• 85. Review of decision of Adoption Committee

• 86. Confidentiality of information

• 87. Adoption List

• 88. Adoption Committee to have regard to Adoption List

• 89. Duties of the Division prior to placement

• 90. Supervision of placement

• 91. Transfer of care responsibility during placement

• 92. Return of child to child care service

• 93. Contravention of placement requirements

• 94. Advertising

• 95. Application for adoption order

• 96. Notice of application to Adoption Committee

• 97. Search of documents

• 98. Hearing

• 99. Consent to be obtained prior to adoption

• 100. Form of consent

• 101. Dispensing with consent

• 102. Withdrawal of consent

• 103. Withdrawal of consent given outside Saint Lucia

• 104. Withdrawal of consent by the Court

• 105. Change of name

• 106. Interim adoption order

• 107. Adoption order

• 108. Effect of adoption order

• 109. Submission of certified copy of adoption order

• 110. Revocation of adoption on marriage of biological parents

• 111. Register of Adoption and other registers

• 112. Post Register of Adoption

• 113. Approval for inter-country adoptions

• 114. Exception

• 115. Memorandum of understanding

• 116. Provision and exchange of information

• 117. Matters to be considered in making decision on adoption

• 118. Making of payment prohibited

• 118A. INTERPRETATION: DIVISION 7

• 118B. APPLICATION

• 118C. POWER TO MAKE ADOPTION ORDER

• 118D. RESTRICTION ON MAKING ADOPTION ORDER

• 118E. CONSENT TO ADOPTION

• 118F. EVIDENCE OF CONSENT OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN

• 118G. FUNCTIONS OF COURT AS TO ADOPTION ORDERS

• 118H. INTERIM ORDER

• 118I. PROVISIONS AS TO EXISTING DE FACTO ADOPTIONS

• 118J. JURISDICTION, PROCEDURE AND RULES

• 118K. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF PARENTS AND CAPACITY TO MARRY

• 118L. AFFILIATION ORDERS

• 118M. INTESTACY, WILL, AND SETTLEMENT

• 118N. PROVISIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO SECTION 118M

• 118O. REGISTRATION OF ADOPTIONS UNDER THIS DIVISION

• 118P. RESTRICTION ON ADVERTISEMENTS

• 118Q. RESTRICTION ON SENDING INFANTS ABROAD FOR ADOPTION

• 118R. LICENCE TO SEND INFANT ABROAD FOR ADOPTION

• 118S. CONTINUATION OF ADOPTION UNDER THIS DIVISION

• 119. Care plan

• 120. Releasing confidential information to unauthorised person

• 121. Limitation of liability

• 122. Costs

• 123. Appeals

• 124. Regulations

• 125. Repeal

• 126. (Repealed by Act 20 of 2019)

• Schedule