What happens if the child is looked after by the local authority?

If the child is looked after by the local authority, the local authority will have parental responsibility for that child if he or she is under a care order. This will mean that the local authority will also have to consent to the child’s change of name, and if it refuses, the person wishing to change the child’s name will have to obtain the courts permission.

If a child is voluntarily accommodated by the local authority, the local authority will not have parental responsibility for the child and therefore will not need to consent to a name change. It is only if the child is under a care order that the local authority will have parental responsibility.

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