when two people get married and one (or both) of them have children with someone else before this marriage, that child is called a "step child" by the child's non-birth parent. if both people had children, the children of each parent are "step brothers" or "step sisters" of each other. a child whose parents have died is an orphan. orphans with no parent may be raised by grandparents or other relatives. otherwise they may go to live in an orphanage. they may be adopted by another adult or couple wanting a child. they will then be able to grow up in a new family.