Change of surname

have had residency of my granddaughter for 11yrs. She is 12yrs soon. There has been no direct contact and only 2 letters in that time with her biological mother. My gd wishes to change her surname to mine. She needs to apply to court for this as mother has refused, permission. Gd is adamant she doesn't want to meet mother at all. Can Court proceedings be done with them seeing each other at all? I have parental responsibility ie Guardianship and have done for 11yrs. Mum still has some parental responsibility.

Without Mom (by the way where is Dad?) consent it wont happen unless you gain full parental rights and Mom and Dad give theirs up or they are taken away and you named new parent. You might (BIG MIGHT) have an abandonment case which could gain you the parental status you need but you should discuss that possibility with an Attorney

Shrink - the OP is in the UK. Things are very different, and what happens in the US is not really relevant to the UK.


OP, have a look here and start phoning people

http://www.deedpoll.org.uk/CanIChangeMyChildsName.html

In six or seven short years, the child becomes an adult. She can easily do it herself, if that's her wont by 2020.