Relative or stepchild adoption

If you wish to adopt your partner's child or a relative who normally lives in the UK, you will need to tell your local trust at least three months before starting your adoption application with the court. The trust will be able to provide you with advice and information. You should also seek legal advice.

What happens next?

The court will ask your local trust to provide a report on your partner, the child and other birth parent. This will be prepared by a social worker. The child’s other parent(s) must normally agree to the adoption, although sometimes the court may decide this is not necessary.

The law requires that both you and your partner need to adopt the child, even though one of you is already the child's parent.

• Find your local adoption agency  

Alternative to adoption

A step-parent can also now get parental responsibility for their partner's child if both birth parents agree, or by order of the court.

This means there is an alternative to adoption for step-parents who wish to get parental responsibility for their step-child. It has the advantage of not removing parental responsibility from the other birth parent and does not legally separate the other birth parent's family. This new measure also applies to civil partners.  

Adopting relatives from overseas

To adopt a relative from overseas - known as intercountry adoption - you will usually need to go through the same process as adopting a child not known to you from overseas. You should contact your local trust:

• Intercountry adoption  

Things to consider

An important point people can forget is that the courts view adoption from the child's perspective rather than the adult's. What an adult wants is taken into account, but an adoption order will only be granted if it is viewed as being in the best interests of the child.

Some people feel the need to adopt their stepchild in order to make the family feel complete however, this is not a good enough reason for a court to grant an adoption order.