Assessments for intercountry and domestic adoptions are carried out by health boards or by adoption societies registered with the adoption board. The purpose of the assessment process is to determine whether applicants are suitable to adopt a child. While there are no legal provisions in relation to upper age limits for either domestic or intercountry adoption, an applicant's age may be taken into consideration in the context of the assessment as one of a number of factors determining the applicant's capacity to look after the child throughout his or her childhood and to maintain an ongoing and meaningful relationship with their child.