STEP-PARENT ADOPTIONS/RELATIVE ADOPTIONS
THERE ARE MANY LEGAL AND EMOTIONAL REASONS FOR STEP-PARENT ADOPTIONS AND RELATIVE ADOPTIONS OF ARIZONA CHILDREN
Building Arizona Families is a licensed adoption agency. We are not a law firm and the following information is not intended to act as legal advice. As a licensed adoption agency, we are delighted to serve families who desire to move forward with step-parent adoption and relative adoptions.
Reasons for Step-Parent Adoptions / Relative Adoptions may include, but are not limited to:
- Custody in the event of a parental death
- The right to inherit
- The right to social security should the step-parent die
- Legal authority to talk to the child’s schools, to pick a child up at school or daycare, and to make emergency medical decisions for the child
- The same last name as other family members
SEVERANCE AND ADOPTION INFORMATIOn from BUILDING ARIZONA FAMILIES, A licensed adoption agency
| X | X | Step-parents can adopt their stepchildren with the consent of the birth parent or after a termination of the birth parent’s parental rights. A court hearing granting the termination of parental rights is held in all cases. |
| X | X | The rights of a birth father depend on whether he is/was married to the mother of the child. Married fathers have more rights than unmarried fathers. There are different methods authorized under Arizona law to address fathers’ rights. |
| X | X | If a birth parent is unknown or cannot be located, a termination and/or adoption can still be completed by taking the necessary steps to provide grounds for termination and reasonable notice. |
| X | A step-parent may legally adopt their stepchild following the termination of the birth parent’s parental rights if the step-parent has been legally married to the step-child’s birth or legal parent for at least one year and if the step-parent has lived with the stepchild for at least six months. | |
| X | An adult relative may adopt a related child following the termination of the birth parent’s parental rights if the adult relative is the child’s adult sibling by whole or half blood or is the child’s aunt, uncle, grandparent, or great-grandparent and the child has resided with the prospective adoptive relative for at least six months. | |
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN STEP-PARENT ADOPTIONS
As a licensed adoption agency, it is Building Arizona Families’ responsibility to remain current on adoption legislation. On March 13, 2012, the Arizona Legislature amended Arizona Revised Statute Section 8-112 to provide that the social study required for an adoption of a child by a step-parent or immediate relative shall consist only of a state and federal criminal records check (i.e. fingerprinting) and a central registry check (i.e. child abuse clearance) if:
- The prospective adoptive parent is the child’s step-parent who has been legally married to the child’s birth or legal parent for at least one year and has resided with the child for at least six months.
- The prospective adoptive parent is the child’s adult sibling by whole or half blood or is the child’s aunt, uncle, grandparent, or great-grandparent and the child has resided with the prospective adoptive relative for at least six months.