Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Cooperative adoption is when two parties who are not related by blood or marriage create a parent-child relationship through a legal process called adoption. This happens when a child is an orphan, abandoned, or when the parents' parental rights have been terminated by court order. The adopted child becomes a legal member of the adoptive family with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that come with it. It is different from fostering or legitimation, which involves blood relatives. Adoption is a way to give a child a permanent home and family.
Cooperative adoption is a type of adoption where the birth parents and adoptive parents work together to create a parent-child relationship. This is different from traditional adoption where the birth parents give up their parental rights and the adoptive parents become the legal parents.
In cooperative adoption, the birth parents may still have some involvement in the child's life and may even have visitation rights. The adoptive parents and birth parents may also work together to make decisions about the child's upbringing.
For example, a couple may adopt a child whose birth mother wants to stay involved in the child's life. The adoptive parents and birth mother may agree to a cooperative adoption where the birth mother has visitation rights and is involved in making decisions about the child's upbringing.
Cooperative adoption can be a good option for families who want to maintain a relationship with the birth parents and for children who benefit from having multiple parental figures in their lives.