Children's Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005)Chapter 15 : Adoption237. Gathering of information for proposed adoption |
| (1) | When a child becomes available for adoption, the clerk of the children’s court must take— |
| (a) | the prescribed steps to establish the name and address of each person whose consent for the adoption is required in terms of section 233; and |
| (b) | reasonable steps to establish the name of any person whose consent would have been necessary but for section 236, and the grounds on which such person’s consent is not required. |
| (2) | A person who has consented to the adoption of a child in terms of section 233 and who wants the court to dispense with any other person’s consent on a ground set out in section 236, must submit a statement to that effect to the clerk of the children's court. |
| (3) | A clerk of the children’s court may request the Director-General: Home Affairs to disclose any information contained in the registration of birth of a child, including the identity and other particulars of a person who has acknowledged being the father or the mother of the child. |
| (4) | If a social worker involved in the proposed adoption of a child obtains information regarding the identity and whereabouts of a person contemplated in subsection (1), the social worker must without delay submit a report containing that information to the clerk of the children’s court. |