The position of the birth parents of a child to be adopted is one of the most important and controversial aspects of any adoption process. This applies especially to the circumstances in which their consent to the adoption is required and those in which that requirement will be dispensed with. The issue of consent is addressed by Article 5 of the Revised European Convention on the Adoption of Children 2008,2 which was opened for signature by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 27th November 2008.