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Step Parent adoption

STEPPARENT ADOPTION Adopting a stepchild is the most common form of adoption. A stopparent who adopts agrees to be fully respon for his or her spouse’s child . After the step parent adoption occurs, the noncustodial parent (the parent not living with the child) no longer has any rights or responsibilities for the child, including child supports. Type of adoption : There are two type of adoption • Domestic adoption an adoption that involves adoptive parents and child that are citizen and resident of the US • International adotion is type of adoption in which an individual or couple become the legal and permanent parents of a child is citizen and resident of the US (is also referred as country inter adoption Legal issues: stepparent adoption, like all other forms of adoption in the United States, is gorverned by state law. Most states make the adoption process a little easier for stepparents. For example, your family may not neend to be represented by a lawyer. You may not be required to have a home study, as parents in other types of adoption are Law: Adoption law creates a legal relationship of parents and child who are not each other’s direct relation State law mainly governs adoption Process: The requirements necessary to begin the process of international adoption can vary depending on the country of the adoptive parent(s). In the United States, typecally the first stage of the process is selecting a licensed adoption agency or agency to work with. Each agency or attorney works with a different set of countries, al though some only fouse on a single country. Pursuant to the rules of the hague Convention (an international treaty related to adoption issues) the adoptoin agency or attorney must be accerdited by the U.S government if the child’s country is also a participant in the hague Convention. If the child’s country is not a participant in the hague convention, then the rules of the hague do not apply,and instead the specific laws of the child and adoptive parents must be followed. Even when the hague does net apply, a home study and USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services) formerly INS ( Immigration and Naturalization Service) approval are requirements Legal and Policy Overview of Lesbian and Gay parenting: Many states have moved to safeguard the interests of children with gay or lesbian parents. For example, at least 21 states have granted second-parent adoptions to lesbian and gay couples, ensuring that their children can enjoy the benefits od having two legal parents, especially if one of the parents dies or becomes incapacitated Sources od children and adoptive parents: The most common countries for international adoption by parents in the United States for 2007 were China (5453), guatemala (4728), Russia (2310), Ethiopia (1255), South Korea (939), vietnam (828) Ukraine (606), Kazakhstan (540),India (416) Liberia (353), Norway, Australia, kenya, Canada, haiti, and Poland. Thesr statistics can vary from year as each country alters its rules; Romania, Belarus and Canbodia ware also important until gorverment crackfowns on adoptions to weed out abuse in the system cut off the flow. Vietnam recently signed a treaty openings its doors for adoption. Guatemala has recently closed its doors. Resources The child welfare Information gateway state statutes series provides sumaries of state laws regarding certain aspects of adoption, including: Need Help In Step Parent Adoption click here to learn more