Step-parents are fast becoming the new norm but have limited rights, regardless of their responsibilities, as Sarah Hughes explains
- Step-parents have none or very limited rights, regardless of the responsibility they assume for a child’s day to day upbringing.
- They remain largely dependent on the agreement of both parents or the scrutiny of the court to acquire parental responsibility.
Step families are the fastest growing family type in the UK. It is estimated that almost one in three families has a step-child from a previous relationship, meaning almost two million children living in a two-parent family where one parent is not their own.
Step-parents play an increasingly important role in a child’s life. They will often form a close bond with the child, live with that child, care for them as their own, and share responsibility for their day to day needs, particularly when the child is young. However, step-parents do not have legal standing for the child, and step-parent families are often overlooked in the drive to change our laws to reflect modern day society—focusing instead on
