7. Stepparents

A stepparent is not a child's legal parent but is the legal parent's spouse. Stepchildren are deprived of parental support because one legal parent is absent.

Include the stepparent in the certified group only if the stepparent wants to be included and:

the stepparent is the only parent in the home; or

both the legal parent and the stepparent are in the home and the legal parent has a disability.

Certify the stepparent and legal parent with disabilities for TANF-SP when the stepparent is included in the certified group. If the legal parent and stepparent live in the home and have mutual children, they must all be included in the same certified group.