When a biological parent cannot be found in order to get their permission for a stepparent adoption, many families find themselves having to publish a public notice in the newspaper, stating their intent to have the absent parents right’s terminated in regards to the child, and to have the child formally adopted by the stepparent. The notice often runs in the paper for several weeks, giving the absent parent time to see and respond to the notice.

This can be an extremely stressful time for the... more

This is a great site for those who are looking to complete a stepparent adoption in the state of Illinois. Outlining the process from start to finish it is very easy to read, and extremely informative.

The website breaks the adoption process down into 20 small steps. Each step is explained clearly, in plain English, making the site very easy to read through. The steps even tell how much certain forms, or steps in the process cost, which is also very... more

I recently found this link, which is a link to a very helpful packet of information on the stepparent adoption procedure for Connecticut. The packet is in .pdf format, so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to see it. For those who do not already have Adobe Reader on their computer, the program can be downloaded for free at www.adobe.com

The packet is eleven pages long covering the many different aspects of a stepparent adoption... more

It happens time and time again. After an adoption is finalized, paperwork is sent out in a rush to obtain the new, amended birth certificate. Families are told that this can take some time to complete, and days turn into weeks, which can turn into months before they see anything resembling a new birth certificate.

When filling out your paperwork to obtain the new birth certificate, it is important to write down any contact numbers that are on them, and tuck them away in a safe spot in case you have any questions while you are waiting for your certificate to come, you will have the contact numbers handy.

Regardless of time frame that you are told the documents should be mailed... more

Below you will find a link to North Carolina’s downloadable court forms. These forms are in a .pdf format, which can be read by Adobe Reader. For those who do not yet have the Adobe Reader program, it can be downloaded for free, from adobe.com. The stepparent adoption form is towards the middle of the page, and can be found in both English, as well as Spanish. The form number for the English version is dss-5162-ia; the Spanish version is form number dss-5163sp. While there are forms for the adoption of a minor... more

The Superior Court for Alameda County has a wonderful self help adoption site, when it comes to stepparent adoptions. With a short introduction into the stepparent adoption process, what it does, what it means, and how it works, the actual process is then broken down into six different steps in order to complete a stepparent adoption.

excerpt from Alameda County Site

A Stepparent Adoption is when the spouse of a child's custodial parent adopts that child. Social Services prefers that the stepparent... more

Below is a link to the DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) for Los Angeles County in California, regarding stepparent adoptions. This is one of the most informative sites that I have come across in my state and county resource search. They are kind enough to include some of the fees associated with the adoption, which many sites do not do, and is extremely helpful for those whom are just starting out on their adoption journey, and are looking to get a good idea of just what they are about to embark on emotionally, as well as financially.

Here... more

Here is a link to the Vermont Probate Court website, that pertains to stepparent/partner adoptions. On the site it states that the Vermont Adoption Act has not defined the term ‘partner’, but that it is “generally construed to include persons who have been parties to a civil union.

Another interesting fact from the website, is that it states very clearly that a stepparent adoption does not have to diminish the relationship between the child, and the parent whom... more

In the stepparent adoption forums on adoption.com, many questions revolve around how to get started on a stepparent adoption, where to look for information, and if there are any forms that are available online for the family to fill out to go a head and begin the stepparent adoption process.

Since the rules and procedures of stepparent adoptions vary from not only state to state, but also county to county, there unfortunately is not one resource that I can give to everyone in order to answer their questions... more

Below is information from the NSW Department of Community Services website. It is a very informative resource for those in Austrailia looking into stepparent, or intrafamily adoptions. A link to the website is provided at the end of the article, for those who are looking for more information for stepparent/intrafamily adoptions in Austrailia.

who can apply for intrafamily adoption? Only certain people qualify to adopt a child as a relative. The Adoption Act 2000 defines a relative as a grandparent, uncle or aunt... more