Adoption Law

Our specialist family lawyers can help with a number of adoption circumstances, including:

• Private family adoption – a child is adopted by a step-parent, granting the step-parent legal parental responsibility and the status as a parent of that child
• Kinship Adoption – a member of their family adopts a child.

Relative or stepchild adoption

Many people ask for advice about adopting a child that is already a part of the extended family, or is the child of a new partner.  There are processes to follow that include the local authority to consider whether an adoption should proceed. There are also issues of consent required if any other parent is still alive.

We can advise you regarding the implications of this step which often gives rise to other concerns. It’s particularly difficult where there is an absent parent who has left the home, and even more so if they are still active in the child’s life – for example weekend visits. The adoption process has the effect of extinguishing the rights as a parent of the absent parent and this, of course, can make the situation very challenging.  As with all child-related issues, the overriding concern is for the child’s best interests.