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