Definition: Adoption

Category: Social statistics

Legal and voluntary taking and treating of the child of other parents as one’s own in so far as provided by the laws of the country. 

By means of a judicial process, whether related or not to the adopter, the adopted child acquires the rights and status of a biological child born to the adopting parents. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/statmanuals/files/SeriesF_84_EN.pdf