relinquished a child for adoption many years ago, and are now elderly, and adopted people who were adopted many years ago and whose birth parents are now elderly. In relation to adoptions after 12 November 1975, where the intermediary agency has limited capacity it may only accept applications where it is satisfied that the circumstances are sufficiently exceptional, such as where the applicant is terminally ill. Where the intermediary agency does have spare capacity, it may routinely accept applications in respect of post-1975 adoptions. 10.22. Both the applicant and the subject of the application must have attained the age of 18. Before proceeding with an application, the intermediary agency should seek to establish, as far as reasonably practicable, that both the applicant and the subject of the application are aged 18 or over. Where the intermediary agency accepts an application, for example from an adopted person seeking contact with a birth sibling, and the agency subsequently discovers that the subject of the application is under the age of 18, it must not proceed further with the application. This does not limit the powers of a local authority, which has responsibilities under the adoption support provisions to provide support and counselling to an adopted adult in this position. No obligation to proceed if not appropriate: ISR 6 10.23. The intermediary agency has a general discretion not to proceed, or continue proceeding, with an application unless it considers it appropriate to do so. In reaching this decision, ISR 6.2 requires the intermediary agency to have regard to certain specified issues. 10.24. It is important to note that this regulation applies not only to the intermediary agency’s initial decision on whether to proceed, but also to the possibility o