Stepchild adoption: why rainbow families are keeping up the pressure

LOS, Pink Cross, TGNS and the Rainbow Families umbrella organisation have criticised the Council of States decision of 17 June 2026 on simplified stepchild adoption. From the organisations' perspective, many children in rainbow families remain in a legal grey zone for longer, even when two parents share day-to-day responsibility.

The issue is not only a legal technicality. It touches illness, separation, death, travel, school and many ordinary situations where legal parenthood has practical consequences. When a second parent must still go through a long procedure that differs strongly by canton, uncertainty appears exactly where children need stability.

For Queer Switzerland, this is a national story with local impact: counselling services, family organisations and community groups will need to explain what the decision means in practice. Coverage should link visibly to the source and avoid replacing individual legal advice.