Stepparent adoption can be important for the families and children involved. Though simpler than a regular adoption, stepparent adoption does require several step and legal requirements that must be met which is why stepparents seeking to complete a stepparent adoption should be familiar with what the process includes.
Stepparent adoption steps and requirements
Adoption can hold significant for both children who are being adopted and for the stepparent who is adopting the child. In addition to the legal significance, there can be other important reasons to adopt including emotional significance as well. The family law process helps families however they are building their family.
Parental consent
Parental consent is required for all adoptions, including stepparent adoptions. Consent does require that the parent providing it gives up all of there parents rights to the child. If the parental rights of the birth parent have been terminated, the stepparent does not have to obtain consent from the birth parent.
Ways parental rights may be terminated
There are several different ways by which parental rights may be terminated including if the birth parent abandoned the child; if the birth parent is determined to be unfit; or if the birth parent is not the biological father of the child. If the birth parent’s parental rights had been terminated, the requirement for the stepparent to obtain parental consent would be unnecessary.
The family law system serves as a resource to help families of all different shapes and sizes address their concerns. This can include helping blended families with stepparent adoption which is why both parents and stepparents considering stepparent adoption should know how the process works.