Healthcare Equality Index: What is meant by same-sex parents?
There are several different paths to parenthood that LGBT individuals or couples may choose. These include private or public adoption, artificial insemination and surrogacy. Regardless of how children come into the home of a same-sex couple, the key factor in terms of visitation and decision-making rights is the legal relationship each parent has with the child. This legal relationship is often established through joint or second parent adoption. Joint Adoption A joint adoption is a legal procedure which involves a couple adopting from the childs biological parent(s) or is in the custody of the state. These adoptions give both parents legal custody of the child. Second Parent Adoption A second parent adoption (also called co-parent adoption) is a legal procedure that allows a same-sex parent to adopt her or his partners biological or adoptive child without terminating the first parents legal status as a parent. Second parent adoptions protect children in same-sex parent families by giv
