Reasons for Parental Responsibility as a Step-Parent

[HowLuckyAmI]

For 2 years now my Dh's 3 children have lived with us both.
They came to live with us as their Mother has alcohol/drug issues and was not looking after the children.
I welcomed them and have done everything with in my power to keep them safe and give them the family life they deserve along with DH.
They are good kids and i have a brilliant relationship with all of them,
they do not see their mum but we speak about her positively.
My Dh has full custody of the children, i do everything their mother should be doing. I am a stay at home parent with my own DC so i take all Dhs children to school/pick ups. Dentist appointments, liaise with school but that is as far as it goes with me being allowed to take them to appointments etc. Dh and i share the responsibilities of looking after all of our DC but after a discussion with DH this weekend he asked me to apply for parental responsibility. I have read up on it and seems like the sensible thing to do. After all if anything happened to Dh social services have said they would prefer the children to stay with me as due to safeguarding issues they will never be allowed back to live with their mother. My question is after reading the application i have to state the reasons as to why i want PR. apart from what i have stated before is there anything else i should write to support my self in my application?

I don’t know the answers to this and so I couldn’t advise you but just wanted to wish you good luck and hope it all goes to plan

@HowLuckyAmI I’m in a similar place as yourself however we’re still in the court process, when I’ve read up the social workers can petition for you to also help save on costs if that helps

My brother has parental responsibility for his two step children. Their father lives miles away and rarely sees them and one of the DC has a health condition so it made sense that DB could name medical decisions if his wife wasn’t available for any reason. The dad is more than happy someone else has stepped up to help look after the DC so was fine with it. DB’s never have to use the responsibility as such but they all felt better that he had it.

How it is in their interest. Security, practicality, because they need the stability, wanted, loved and equal to you both, not just dp etc. But if ss are involved ask for their advice.

With dsd it was a bit different, it reached crisis point when dp was working out of the country. Dsd was the one that made sure I knew what had happened but I arrived on the scene after ss and had to do my ‘convincing’ there and then to take her home even though officially I was an unrelated adult. Because she’d been effectively handed into my care short term when it later came to pr it was a mere formality. So don’t take my advice as gospel or well informed.

Could you speak to a family law solicitor or post this in legal? You might get better advice

I do not have any knowledge of this but I would state that's that they are a family with you , their dad and your child. That splitting them from this if anything would happen to their F would only detrimental to them.
I would also state that I love and care for them as if they were my own.
Good luck they are beyond lucky to have you.