Because every family system is unique, the definition of a child or young adult’s relatives is broad in order to capture
all persons who are considered family within unique family systems.
In some families, every blood relative is considered family, while in others, both blood and legal relatives are considered family. In yet others, godparents, neighbors, family friends, tribes, stepparents, domestic partners, etc, might be considered family due to the role those persons play in the family system and/or the emotionally significant relationship they have with the child or the child’s family.