Child adoption

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Adopting a stepchild

You need to tell your local council if you want to adopt your spouse바카라 사이트™s or partner바카라 사이트™s child. You must do this at least 3 months before applying to a court for an adoption order.

The child must also have lived with both of you for at least 6 months.

The adoption assessment

The process to adopt is similar to an assessment through an adoption agency.

The assessment is used to help a court decide if you can adopt the child (rather than being sent to an independent adoption panel).

The court will ask your local council to provide a report on:

  • your partner
  • the child
  • the other birth parent

The report will be prepared by a social worker and will be used to help the court make a decision.

If granted, the adoption court order gives you parental responsibility for the child - along with your spouse or partner.

The order also takes away parental responsibility from:

  • the child바카라 사이트™s other birth parent
  • anyone else who has parental responsibility for the child

An adoption order cancels any other type of court order, such as how and when the child바카라 사이트™s birth parent can visit the child.

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