X and Y (private law - change of name - termination of parental responsibility)

Paul Froud instructed by Brethertons for the Applicant mother The Respondent father represented himself Hearing date: 22 March 2021 ____________________

"� the changing of a child's surname is a matter of importance and that in determining whether or not a change should take place the court must first and foremost have regard to the welfare of the child. There are many factors which must be taken into account, not only those pertaining to the present situation but also those which are likely to affect the child in the future."

(i) The father will be in prison until at least March 2033, by which time X will be an adult and Y a teenager. The father will not be able to exercise his parental responsibility in any meaningful way until then;

(ii) The girls' physical, emotional and educational welfare can only be met by them having no contact with their father, direct or indirect � there is no need for him to exercise parental responsibility;

(iii) Further than that, there is a risk of harm to the girls if he were to exercise his parental responsibility for them. He played only a limited role in the girls' life previously, he holds strongly negative views about the mother, her parenting capacity and the wider maternal family. He has shown no insight into the impact of his actions on the children and continues to represent a high risk to them and their mother. In the circumstances, the Court can have no confidence that he would exercise his parental responsibility for the benefit of his children;