Blended families are quite common. People who divorce often remarry while their children are still young. They then have a very complex new blended family dynamic.
One of the ways that families can adjust to blended family arrangements is through stepparent adoptions. A stepparent who has fully committed to the new blended family and who wants to reiterate their love for a stepchild may propose a stepparent adoption.
A successful stepparent adoption gives the stepparent the same basic legal rights and responsibilities as any other legal parent. Stepparent adoption can be a lengthy process that requires the support of multiple parties. Who generally needs to approve a stepparent adoption?
Both surviving parents
Even in scenarios where one parent has become an absolute deadbeat, they still technically have protection under the law. A stepparent hoping to adopt their stepchild needs to first secure the support of their spouse.
After that, they must then locate the other parent. Securing their permission by getting them to rescind their parental rights in writing is a key element of stepparent adoption. Without their cooperation, it may only be possible to move forward with a stepparent adoption if the courts agree to involuntarily terminate their rights.
The child undergoing adoption
Unless the child is relatively young, their input is important. Even before the law dictates that they must give their permission, their consent can be important to maintaining a positive family dynamic in the future.
Stepparents typically want to secure consent from the child undergoing adoption. If the child is 12 years of age or older, their written approval of the adoption is mandatory for the process to move forward.
A family law judge
The last approval needed in a stepparent adoption scenario is that of a judge. Typically, a family law judge has to agree that the stepparent adoption is in the best interests of the child. Factors including household circumstances and family dynamics can influence whether or not a judge believes that the adoption is beneficial for the child.
Having support through every stage of the stepparent adoption process can increase the likelihood of success. Stepparents who want to step up for their stepchildren often need help navigating the family court system.