Overseas travel and absent parent

[elizabethrose]

Looking for advice please. Bit of background, ex husband hasn't had a relationship with DD11 since she was 3 years old. He didn't pay any CSA until she turned 9 and they located him (presume he started work).

DD has been modelling for a few years but recently has joined a musical theatre school which is agent represented. Has had a few jobs, mainly TV commercials which have all been UK based, however this agent is more musical-theatre based, meaning we have attended a few castings recently for productions which would take place overseas. We are presently down to the final round, so on pencil, for a production which will take place in Dubai, and DD would require to go with a chaperone, id only be able to attend in designated rest periods.

So this is all hypothetical as we're not there yet, but the licence is about to be prepared. The paperwork gives a space for both parents to sign. Ex is on birth certificate. My question is, how on earth do we get around this? I've no idea where he is, how to contact him. How do we obtain his permission, often when licence turnarounds are incredibly tight? I've mentioned it to her agent, and they're concerned that it'll scupper her chances as she will also need a letter to travel from both parents.

Anyone else experienced this? It'll be a shame to pull her out now, but we certainly won't be attending any further castings if this potentially will be a huge sticking point

I don’t know about the legal issues related to permission but I would give serious consideration to the whole idea unless you have very good feedback from older children and adults who have done this exact thing with this production company before.

I’ve lived in that part of the world (not Dubai but similar), and there are lots of teen girls who come over for ‘modelling’ and ‘acting’ jobs. They are not always what they are cracked up to be. There can be abuse. Sometimes there are no jobs at all (well, not the sort in modelling or acting). I would be very cautious and there is no way I’d let my 11 year old go live in Dubai unaccompanied.

Thanks for your reply. However there is certainly nothing seedy about this line of work. We have children from the same theatre company who have done this job before, they've just become too old for the role. I have every confidence that they will be looked after, tutored, and be in the company of very responsible chaperones. But that wasn't the advice I was after. My daughter has modelled for a number of years with no negative experiences so far. The last time she went abroad however I was with her and therefore I didn't need any permissions.

How old is she?

Sorry, just seen she's 11. I would absolutely not be letting her live abroad alone, not a chance in hell. She's 11!

She's 11 yes. It's the reality of musical theatre. If a production goes on tour, the children go with it. Obviously you don't know until you're in this position how it works. I've never let her go abroad alone before, but if she wants this opportunity it's what has to happen. There will be chaperones and tutors, along with a full production team and 14 other children. But judging a situation you don't know about, isn't exactly answering my question??

I think you are probably the parent holding care and control, but if the U.K. is the same as the place I divorced then you do have to get permission for 'relocation' and this would probably come under that.
However, I believe, if you have no way to contact them then the court would grant you permission to do what you believe is right.

(And also- we have lots of touring theatre companies come here and other than a few children who are recruited locally, they are from the touring group and obviously all above board!!

You can go to court and court can grant you permission.

Thank you. It's the licence I'm worried about more than anything as there's a quick turnaround for this. But I've made an appointment for a solicitors and hopefully they'll give me a good steer. I've literally no idea where her dad is. We're in the UK and for work here she has only required my permission. But abroad is a different matter. I've taken her for holidays without his permission but never for work. I keep reading on here about people being stopped by immigration and asking for permission letters, so id hate her to get so far only to be stopped in her tracks.

@mynamechangemyrules thank you, I think there is the perception of things not being above board. That I'm putting my daughter in danger. Yes I'm very apprehensive but it's the way musical theatre goes, and who am I to end her dreams. Her friend has just done les miserables - she's only 7 and has been away for 4 months without her parents.