The subsidiary legislation of the Adoption Ordinance that seeks to improve existing local adoption arrangements and to give effect to the Convention on Protection of Children & Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention) in Hong Kong will be tabled at the Legislative Council on December 21.

The subsidiary legislation includes the Adoption (Amendment) Rules 2005, the Convention Adoption Rules, the Intercountry Adoption (Contracting States) Order, the Convention Adoption (Exclusion) Order and the Adoption (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 (Commencement) Notice.

The Central People's Government ratified the Convention on September 16 this year, indicating the Convention will take effect in China, including Hong Kong, on January 1.

With the amendments to the principal Adoption Ordinance in place last year, Hong Kong needs to enact the necessary subsidiary legislation under the Ordinance to tie in as far as practicable with the effective date of the Convention in the territory.

Laws give local children more adoption opportunities

Once the legislation comes into force, the Social Welfare Department or duly accredited non-governmental organisations must handle adoptions between unrelated people. Adoptions between related people may continue to be arranged in private, for example, through lawyers.

In addition, intercountry adoptions can in future be arranged according to the Convention. Local children with adoption as their best alternative will have more opportunities, the bureau said.