Every Child Deserves A Loving Home
Are you helping to raise a child without legal recognition as a parent? Do you worry that a biological parent will suddenly remove the child or assert their parenting rights?
Adoption secures the rights and responsibilities of a parental relationship. Adoption provides children with the emotional stability of a two parent family and provides them with financial security in the form of inheritance rights and insurance coverage.
In Colorado, the most common type of family-based adoption are stepparent adoptions. As a general matter, stepparent adoption requires a showing that one of the biological parents is consenting to the adoption and the other biological parent either agrees, has abandoned the child for more than a year, or is deceased.
If stepparent adoption is granted, the adoptive parent will have the same rights and responsibilities as a natural parent, including the obligation to pay child support in the event that their relationship or marriage to the biological parent breaks up.
Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren may apply for a kinship adoption. Kinship adoption is also available to aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and first cousins who have been taking physical care of a child for more than one year.
Second parent adoption is available to gay or lesbian couples, where only one partner is biologically related to the child they are raising together. Second parent adoption requires a home study that must be performed by a qualified individual or agency designated by the Department of Human Services.
Custodial adoption is available to non-relatives who have had primary physical care of a child for more than one year and can demonstrate that for more than one year both of the child’s biological parents have either abandoned the child or failed to provide financial support when they were reasonably able to do so.
If you are considering stepparent, second parent, kinship or custodial adoption, I would be happy to help you create a more secure and permanent relationship with the child in your care.
Laurel Anne Markus P.C. is an adoption law firm. We dedicate more than 75% of our time to family-based and private adoptions.
Call (719) 649-1809 for your appointment.
Serving Colorado Springs, Fountain, Pueblo, Canon City, Woodland Park, Castle Rock and south Denver.