Policy Effective: April 1, 2010
Parents include natural parents, adoptive parents, and stepparents.
Natural Parents
When a woman’s name appears on the birth record of a child, she is a natural parent.
The man is the natural parent when relationship to the child is established. Relationship can be established for a child when:
the parents have a solemnized marriage at the time of conception or birth; or
through a court action naming a man as the father; or
a man signs a voluntary paternity acknowledgment form with Office of Recovery Services (ORS) or Vital Statistics; or
a man signs form 941 acknowledging his relationship to the child.
Stepparents: A stepparent is married to a natural parent through solemnized marriage or common-law marriage. See policy 221-9 for information on common law marriage.
Unemancipated child who is a parent
An unemancipated child who is a parent can apply and receive Child Care services. See policy 240-1F for more information about teen parent Child Care.
Parents of an unemancipated child who is a parent and lives out of the home are still responsible for the unemancipated child. The minor may contact Office of Recovery Services for child support assistance.