Adoptivkind

Adoptivkind is a German-language term that designates a child who has been legally adopted by someone other than their birth parents. In German-speaking countries, the term appears in legal texts, social-work language, and everyday speech to distinguish the adoptive child from biological offspring (Leibkind) and from foster children (Pflegekind).

Legal status and implications: Adoption creates a permanent, legal parent-child relationship between the child and adoptive parents. In most jurisdictions, adoptive parents gain full parental rights and responsibilities, and the child's legal relationship to the birth parents is modified or terminated. Surnames, inheritance, and citizenship can be affected; openness of contact with the birth family varies by case and jurisdiction, with adoptions sometimes open, semi-open, or closed.

Identity and social aspects: Adoptivkind may maintain or seek connections to their birth family or culture, and adoption identity development can involve questions of belonging, ethnicity, and history. Social services may provide counseling and support for families and adopted individuals, and educational resources about adoption are common.

Variations and terminology: Adoptivkind is used primarily in German; equivalents exist in other languages (for example, adopted child in English). Distinctions include Leibkind for a biological child and Pflegekind for a child in foster care. The term’s precise legal implications differ by country and context.