r under section 26 of the Act. 7.42. Once a child is authorised to be placed for adoption (and also in cases where a child under six weeks old has been placed for adoption) the provisions in the 1989 Act regarding contact cease to apply and contact is dealt with under sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The local authority no longer has an obligation to promote contact between the child and birth family members. The court may however make an order for contact under section 26 of the Act, and may revoke or vary a section 26 order under section 27 of the Act. The court may make an order under section 26 even if there has not been an application. 7.43. In a case where the child is placed or about to be placed with a prospective adopter whose identity is not to be disclosed to other parties, the agency will need to ask the court to make arrangements to preserve their anonymity. 7.44. On the making of an adoption order any section 26 contact order will cease to have effect. Section 26(5) of the Act however permits an application to be made for a contact order under section 8 of the 1989 Act when it is to be heard at the same time as an application for an adoption order. 7.45. If no section 8 contact order is made at the time of the adoption order, a birth parent or relative who wishes to apply for contact will need first to obtain the leave of the court. The application for leave, and the application itself if leave is granted, will be governed by the provisions of the 1989 Act. Chapter 9 7.46. One of the prescribed adoption support services under ASR 3 is assistance, including mediation services, in relation to arrangements for contact between an adoptive child and birth relatives or other related people. The need for such support will form part of the assessment of support need