I thought long and hard about adopting my stepdaughter. I decided that in my case there was no overwhelming reason to do so because the likelihood of my stepdaughter ever meeting her father again is probably zero. So he is unlikely to cause any problems. So, with this in mind is it really necessary for us all to go to the time and expense to adopt her just so I can legally say that along with my wife I now have parental responsibility for her and can sign her school trip travel forms when asked?

As far as who receives our inheritance and our pensions, well these can all be dealt with in a suitably drafted will.

Like the solicitor in the thread seemed to imply, "no need to adopt" At the end of the day, when she turns 18, then parental responsibility becomes pretty much an irrelevance anyway. I put it in the same bracket as not registering my Philippines' marriage here in the UK and not registering my own daughters birth in the Philippines here in the UK Civil Registry. Both can be done - and as such may incur a cost - but both are not required for any reason as far as our life in the UK is concerned.

If you google this subject, then there are reasons for and against - and of course every situation is different. Joebloggs came up with a couple of points, but to me they are just not overwhelming reasons.

Bear in mind that, if I adopt, then any parental responsibility the father and his family have are severed. Even though they will probably never meet one another again, I still feel uncomfortable with this fact. I feel like I am imposing my wishes on a young child when it is just not necessary.