The Divorce Act talks about a “child of the marriage.” A “child of the marriage” means a child of two spouses or former spouses who: is under the age of majority and has not left their parent’s charge, or is the age of majority or over and cannot support themselves because of an illness, a disability or another cause (such as pursuing reasonable education). A “child of the marriage” also includes a child that a spouse or former spouses stands in the place of a parent for. This can include a stepparent or a person who has acted as a parent in a child’s life. Last updated: March 2021