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hi i have recently split from my husband and still devastated :( he isnt the father to my children but has brought them for the last 5 years, can anyone tell me whithin the law as we are married whats his rights as a step-parent is it the same rights as a biological father? as in contact, maintenance etc im not thinking of a divorce just yet, just wandering as my youngest would like to see him but he thinks that now we are seperated but still married he doesnt have any rights over them.
many thanks
thanks sparkling at the mo he doesnt want to know me or them and he lives 80miles away, i was just wandering this cause when i went to court over access with their dad we made a contact order was wandering if you can do that for step parents as well?
Hi newlysingle10. Welcome along to One Space. Sorry to hear you have recently seperated. Hopefully, as your ex has been so much a part of your children's lives, he would want to carry on seeing them. Maybe when the dust settles, he might change his mind and continue contact. How are you doing in all of this?
I don't know if this link will be any use to you at all, regarding the rights of step-parents. here
Keep posting as others will be around at some point to maybe help you some more.
Take care
x
Hi newlysingle10
Whether the other parent is biological or not, the fact remains that we cannot force them to have contact. In law, parents don't have "rights" as such, but a child has the right to a relationship with both parents as long as it is safe for them to do so. In the case of a step-parent, as sparkling says, it may be appropriate for them to continue this contact as well. The article alisoncam has highlighted gives some really useful info about step-parents.
As he is not the biological father, he will not be liable for any child support (unless he had adopted your children, for example). Being married to you does not automatically mean he has to support your children.
Hope this makes things a bit clearer. The relationship thing is really up to him.....
As far as I know, a step parent that is not the biological father has no rights or responsibilities to the children of the biological father.
If you were married you get half of posessions etc and money from ex husband for you. Not another man's children.
Would look it all up for you on internet, but am off to court in 50 mins about getting contact with my angels.
Hug sy
I believe that if he wanted contact with the children, that he could say that as he's been part of their lives for 5 years, he should be able to see them.
If a parent chooses not to see a child, it can be incredibly difficult to make them see them. I'm guessing that it could be even more difficult to 'persuade' a step-parent to be part of the children's lives.
I don't think this should be a case of rights though, it would be so sad if he chooses not to see your youngest, if you get my drift.
Meanwhile, I'm so sorry you're facing this.