ard scale. Disclosure of information – adoptions post 30 December 2005: section 57 A registered adoption society may not disclose identifying information about an adopted adult, birth relative or other person except in accordance with sections 56-65 of the Act and the Disclosure of Adoption Information (Post-Commencement Adoptions) Regulations 2005 (AIR). It is intended to ensure that sensitive information about a person’s adoption is properly safeguarded and only disclosed under certain circumstances. If a registered adoption society is found to have contravened section 57 it may be grounds for Ofsted to cancel the agency’s registration under section 14 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (as amended). Offence: section 59 and AIR 21 An offence would be committed if the registered adoption society disclosed information otherwise than in accordance with sections 56-65 of the Act and the AIR. Penalty Liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Disclosure of information – adoptions pre 30 December 2005 Under regulation 7 of the Adoption Information and Intermediary Services (Pre- Commencement Adoptions) Regulations 2005 (ISR), an intermediary agency may not disclose identifying information about an adopted adult, birth relative or other person without consent of the person about whom the information relates. It is intended to ensure that sensitive information about a person’s adoption is properly safeguarded. An intermediary agency may be a registered adoption society of an adoption support agency. 241 Offence: ISR 17 An offence would be committed by an intermediary agency if it disclosed identifying information to the applicant without the subject’s consent, and it did so without reasonable excuse. Penalty Liable on summary conviction to