Stepfamily

Status: This standard was approved as a departmental standard on May 26, 2021.

Definition

Stepfamily refers to couple families with children that contain at least one biological or adopted child of only one married spouse or common-law partner whose birth or adoption preceded the current relationship. The family can contain such children of each married spouse or common-law partner. The family can also contain biological or adopted children from the current relationship. If the current married spouse or common-law partner has adopted the child(ren) of the other married spouse or common-law partner then it is no longer a stepfamily.

Relation to previous version

• Stepfamily May 26, 2021 to current

  This is the current standard.

• Stepfamily September 19, 2011 to May 25, 2021

  This was the departmental standard from September 19, 2011 to May 25, 2021.