Many Illinois families grow and expand through adoption. There are a few different types of adoption, and in your case, you may not want to adopt domestically or internationally, but to adopt your stepchild. If you are looking to take this step and adopt the biological children of your spouse, it is helpful to understand how this process works.
Stepparent adoption could be a great step for your family, but it’s more complicated than simply completing the paperwork. It involves getting permission from the other parents or seeking the termination of parental rights of the other biological parent. If this is a path you would like to pursue, it could be beneficial to seek a full understanding of your legal rights and options.
How does stepparent adoption work?
Families come together in various ways, and it may be best for your unique situation for you to move forward with stepparent adoption. This would legally solidify your relationship with your stepkids and give you certain parental rights. You may need to understand the following about how stepparent adoption works:
- You must receive consent from the other biological parent in order to adopt the children of your spouse.
- Receiving consent from the other parent is not always easy. By giving this consent, the other parent is essentially relinquishing his or her parental rights.
- If the other parent is not present to give consent or is unfit, it may be possible to petition the courts to seek a termination of his or her parental rights.
Completing the stepparent adoption process can be complex, but it is not something you have to navigate on your own. If adopting the children of your spouse is important to you, you may find it beneficial to seek experienced family law guidance. This is a crucial step for your family, but with help, you can meet your family’s objectives.
Reaching your family law goals
Adoption of any kind can be a complex process, and stepparent adoption can also be complicated. Seeking termination of parental rights can be challenging, and there are other obstacles that could arise and make it difficult to reach your goals for your family.
Whether you need to seek the termination of parental rights or you need to know if it’s possible to move forward with the adoption of your stepchildren, you may find it beneficial to first start with a complete evaluation of your case.
