 wishes and feelings of the child, and of any other person it considers to be relevant. Research13 underlines the importance of listening to and acting on the wishes and feelings of children and prospective adopters at this stage. The authority will need to decide in each case whether ‘any other person’ includes the child’s birth parents. When the agency is coming to any decision relating to the adoption of the child, the duty in section 1 of the Act to have regard to the wishes and feelings of the child’s relatives (which in that section includes the child’s birth parents) will still apply. But, for other decisions (for example the choice of a child’s school) the local authority will have the discretion to decide whether it is appropriate to consult the birth parents. The AAR also makes specific provision for ascertaining the views of the birth parents during the adoption process. 5.14. AAR 45.2 also provides that paragraphs 15 and 21 of Schedule 2 shall not apply where the local authority is authorised to place a child for adoption or has placed for adoption a baby under six weeks old. Paragraph 15 provides for the promotion and maintenance of contact between the child and family (see paragraph 3). The duties with regard to contact are instead governed by section 26 of the Act and the AAR (see the guidance on contact in chapter 7). Paragraph 21 provides for contributions towards the maintenance of children looked after by local authorities. 13 Farmer, E., Dance, C., Ouwejan., and Beecham, J (2010) An investigation of family finding and matching in adoption. 97 Placement and review process 98 5.15. Where the agency is a VAA, AAR 45.4 modifies section 61 of the 1989 Act so that:  section 61(2)(a) is to have effect in relation to the child whether or not they are accomm