Blended families are becoming increasingly common, which creates the need in some families for step-parent adoption.  Often a step-parent takes on the day to day responsibility in respect of their partner’s child, but they have no rights, duties or responsibilities in law.  In such circumstances, the step-parent may wish to consider step-parent adoption.
There are many reasons why a step-parent wants to adopt a step-child and these can include the wish to provide security for the child, to formalise the step-parent’s role in the child’s life (particularly when they have a day to day responsibility for the child) or to enable the child to have the same surname as the step-parent.