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FAMILY RULES: Parents with different surnames to their kids may be questioned at UK airports
A new safeguarding rule has been put in place at UK airports to protect children from trafficking and sexual exploitation, but many parents arent happy.
Mums and dads who have different surnames to their kids have been advised to bring birth or adoption certificates to airports.
Parents have also been warned they may face further questioning to establish their relationship with their child.
The Home Office posted a Tweet on Wednesday saying: “If your family has different surnames, please bring birth or adoption certificates to help get through passport control quicker.”
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The accompanying image read: “Families with different surnames may be asked questions to establish their relationship.”
The Home Office then Tweeted saying: “We have a duty to safeguard children and to prevent people trafficking, child sexual exploitation and other crimes. That is why Border Force officers sometimes need to ask additional questions.”
Parents with additional questions have been told to visit the gov.uk website.
Although the step has been brought in to protect children, some people outraged with the decision and many consider the idea to be extremely outdated.
Michael Windmill said: “@sajidjavid can we not ask HMPO to try harder.
“Safeguarding children is crucial, but vilifying those who make a choice not to take each other's name is not the answer.
“1.13m children have co-habiting, unmarried parents. An outmoded view of family is out of touch.”
While Rachel Mantell said: “Everyone taking the man's name is not the norm outside a very narrow Anglo world.
“And I don't see how it protects children from, say, being taken by one parent from the other.”
And MP Hywel Williams said: “Wholly unacceptable. Having different surnames is not some bureaucratic problem. My wife is Davies- she's not an add-on to me.
“My children are Hywel – a pattern becoming more common in Wales as we shed practices enforced on our culture during industrialization.”
While Katherine Mendelssohn added: “I am fundamentally against this. My husband and I have different surnames.
“And our son bears my husband's. Not unusual for parents to have different surnames in the 21st Century. Appalling stuff by @sajidjavid and the Home Office.”
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Some parents even think the new measures put children at greater risk.
Wendy from Hants said: “Spot on, this actually puts children with common surnames at greater risk of kidnap, rather than prevents kidnap.
“Either check every child or put all parents names (because some kids have more that two) on passports.”
The Home Office have suggested parents with different surnames to their children carry evidence clarifying the nature of their relationship.
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TRAVEL: The Home Office suggests bringing a birth or adoption certificate
This can be one of the following documents:
1. A birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child.
2. Divorce or marriage certificates if you are the parent, but have a different surname to the child.
3. A letter from the childs parent/s giving authority for the child to travel with you and providing contact details if you are not the parent.
David Connor, head of Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors family department, told the Daily Mirror: “People need to take extra caution when holidaying with children who dont share their surname as they could unknowingly end up embroiled in a child abduction case, be refused past check-in, or turned away at border control."
While many are unhappy with the new rules, some see it as a necessary step.
Bernadette Spofforth tweeted: “Its not an issue, its a safety net. Takes a bit longer but worth it.”
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