What is the legal process that allows for the transfer of parental rights to a new legal parent or parents called?

The legal process that allows for the transfer of parental rights to a new legal parent or parents is known as adoption. This process involves a legal procedure where an individual or couple becomes the legal parent(s) of a child, thereby assuming all responsibilities and rights associated with parenthood. Adoption is typically formalized through a court process, where the rights of the biological parents are relinquished or terminated, allowing the adoptive parents to take over those rights fully.

Adoption serves the important function of providing children with stable, long-term family environments, especially for those who may not be able to remain with their biological parents due to various circumstances. The adoptive parents gain the same legal rights and responsibilities as biological parents, including custody, care, and decision-making for the child.

Surrogacy refers to an arrangement where a woman carries and delivers a child for another person or couple, but it does not involve the legal transfer of parental rights in the same manner as adoption. Foster care is a temporary arrangement where children are placed with caregivers, and while it can lead to adoption, it does not itself transfer parental rights. Custody refers to the legal authority to make decisions about a child's welfare, which can be granted to a parent or guardian but does not necessarily involve