Power to make adoption orders

(1) Upon an application in the prescribed manner by any person desirous of being authorised to adopt a child who has never been married, the court may, subject to this Act, make an (2) Where an application for an adoption order is made by two spouses jointly, the court may make the order authorizing the two spouses jointly to adopt, but except where two spouses apply jointly, no adoption order shall be made authorizing more than one person to adopt a child. (3) The court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to ensure that the best interests of the child are protected. (4) The court shall direct that a copy of the application for adoption be served on the Department. (5) For the purposes of this section, a guardian ad litem includes a social services practitioner or a person approved by the Family Court.