I move amendment No. 5:
In page 9, between lines 43 and 44, to insert the following:
"(4B) For the purposes of subsections (4) and (4A), "relative" includes a parent and the spouse of a parent of a child.".
This amendment addresses a concern expressed on Second Stage by Deputy Shatter that the prohibition on private adoption placements provided for in section 7 of the Bill could make it illegal for a mother to adopt her child jointly with her husband, who is not the father, or to place her child for adoption with the father and his spouse. It was never the intention that the prohibition should extend to such arrangements, which are known as family adoptions. The thrust of section 7 is to outlaw the direct placement of a child for adoption by a parent with a person who is not related to the child. Amendment No. 5 would make it clear that the prohibition would not apply to arrangements for the adoption of a child by a parent, the spouse of a parent, or a member of the extended maternal or paternal family.
