Many couples come into marriage with a child from a previous marriage or relationship. The biological parent continues to hold all legal rights regarding the health and welfare of the child. A stepparent does not automatically assume those same rights. That means the stepparent may not make decisions about the child’s health care, or even have the right to visit the child in the hospital, in the event of injury or illness. Sometimes the step-parent has a closer relationship to the child than the biological parent. Adopting the stepchild ensures that the parent-child relationship that forms between a step-parent and a child is formalized into a permanent legal bond.