Which type of parents cannot make medical decisions for their dependent?

Foster and step parents typically do not have the legal authority to make medical decisions for their dependents unless they have been granted legal guardianship or specific rights by a court or through legal documentation. In contrast, biological, adoptive, and single parents generally hold the legal responsibility for making healthcare decisions for their children.

Biological parents, by default, have parental rights which include making medical decisions. Similarly, adoptive parents gain those rights upon the completion of the adoption process. Single parents are also recognized legally as having the right to make decisions regarding their children’s health and welfare.

Foster parents may have some short-term decision-making power, but without formal legal standing, their authority lacks the permanence and breadth of the rights held by biological, adoptive, and single parents, which is why this option is the correct answer.