Submitted by Nicola Marsh on Thursday 23rd October 2025
Published on Wednesday 17th December 2025
Current status: Open
Open until: Wednesday 17th June 2026
Current Signatures: 55
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
Child ~ child protection ~ Criminal ~ Ensure ~ Face ~ Fairer ~ Held ~ Law ~ Parent ~ Protecting ~ Responsible ~ system
Make child abandonment by a parent a criminal offence
We call on the Government to update child protection and family law by making child abandonment by a parent a criminal offence.
Abandonment is classed as neglect, but we believe absent parents face no accountability and scrutiny falls on the parent who stays. Making child abandonment by a parent a criminal offence could ensure the system is fairer and both parents are held equally responsible.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.217.17 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:59:58 +0100
