Who is defined as a person that raises another individual's child with the same legal rights?

An adoptive parent is defined as a person who raises another individual's child and has the same legal rights as a biological parent. This legal recognition allows adoptive parents to have full parental rights and responsibilities, encompassing aspects such as custody, decision-making authority, and inheritance rights, similar to those of biological parents. The process of adoption involves a legal procedure that typically includes the termination of the biological parents' rights and the establishment of new legal ties between the adopting parents and the child.

In contrast, a guardian is someone who takes care of a child but may not have the same legal standing as a parent. A foster parent provides temporary care for children who are unable to live with their biological parents but typically does not receive the full legal rights associated with adoption. A step-parent is a person married to one of the child’s biological parents and may play a parental role, however, they do not automatically have the same legal rights unless they formally adopt the child. Thus, the adoptive parent distinctly stands out because of the legal permanence and rights granted through the adoption process.