Stiefkindadoption eines Kindes in Deutschland, Inlandsadoption Begleitung

Do you want to adopt your stepchild? The adoption office will advise and guide you through the next steps. Find out more about the process here.

In a stepchild adoption, the partner's biological child is adopted. Through the adoption, your stepchild becomes your child from a legal perspective. You then have the same responsibility for the child as for a biological child.

Adoption can make sense if, for example

• there has been no contact with the separated parent for years
• the other parent is deceased or unknown
• the child clearly wishes to be adopted or
• there is already a social parenting relationship with the stepparent due to positive parenting experiences.

In order to guarantee the welfare of these children, the requirements and suitability of the adopting parent are also checked in these cases.

All persons involved must seek advice from an adoption agency. The discussions will focus on whether the adoption is in the child's best interests and necessary. In the case of stepchild adoptions, it is particularly checked whether a child is really in need of adoption and whether it can grow up in a family environment characterized by continuity, commitment and the assumption of mutual responsibility after the adoption has been granted.

The certificates of this counseling must be submitted to the family court during the adoption procedure. There is an exception to the counseling obligation if the birth mother's partner is applying for adoption and both were already married to each other at the time of the child's birth or are living in a registered civil partnership or a permanent cohabitation.

You will find out which documents are required in your case during your consultation with the adoption agency. As a rule, these are

• Copies of the transcripts from the birth register
• Copy of the marriage certificate
• Copies of death certificates or divorce decrees of former spouses (optional)
• Copies of the birth entries of legitimate, illegitimate and adopted children
• BZR extract
• Health certificates
• Extended registration certificate
• Copies of proof of income

The requirements include the following:

• You must be married to each other as a couple, in a registered civil partnership or living in another permanent partnership. You are considered to be in a stable partnership if you have lived together for at least four years or have a child together and live together as a family.
• You should have lived together with the child for a reasonable period of time so that a parent-child relationship has been established.
• A mandatory comprehensive consultation with the adoption agency has taken place and a corresponding certificate has been issued.
• Both parents must agree to the application. If the child is 14 years old or older, they must also give their consent.
• The child must be informed about the existing step-parenthood, as the family court may also speak to the child.

Otherwise, the same requirements apply as for the adoption of another person's child.

• The adoption agency advises all parties involved and issues a decision
• The application is submitted to the family court
• The need for adoption and suitability are checked
• The family court decides on the adoption

You do not have to observe any deadlines.

Different-sex couples and same-sex couples can adopt a stepchild.

It is also a stepchild adoption if the partner of the biological mother in a lesbian partnership - following artificial insemination or sperm donation, for example - wishes to obtain legal parenthood for the child of their choice and applies to adopt the child.

• Stepchild adoption of a child in Germany, domestic adoption, accompaniment
• Possible for opposite-sex couples and same-sex couples.
• Suitability test as for foreign child adoption
• Responsible body: Adoption agencies of the youth welfare offices or independent organizations

If you want to adopt a child, please contact the adoption agency of the youth welfare office in your place of residence or a state-recognized adoption agency.

The competent authorities are the adoption agencies of the youth welfare offices and recognized adoption agencies of independent organizations in Hesse