Step-parent adoption

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About this service

If you wish to consider how you can secure your legal relationship with your partner’s child(ren) from a previous marriage or relationship there are various ways you can do this, by applying to the court for:

1. a Parental Responsibility Order
2. a Parental Responsibility Agreement
3. a Residence Order
4. Step-Parent Adoption

Any of the first three options enable the child to retain the legal links with her/his other birth parent and wider family but give you parental responsibility, with regard to the day-to day decisions regarding the child.

If you wish to become the child’s legal parent, you may wish to apply for step-parent adoption, in which case the local authority has a duty to make an assessment of your circumstances, including:

• making checks with CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) and other agencies
• taking up three personal references from people who know you well
• checking your health history and current state of health
• preparing a detailed report for the court
• seeking the views and consent of the child’s other birth parent and anyone else with parental responsibility
• seeking the views of the child(ren), depending on age and understanding

For further information about step-parent adoption and the alternatives, please contact the locality social work team for your area:

Last updated: 26 July 2010