Child Abandonment

As much as we as parents would like to convince ourselves that such a problem does not exist, the problem of child abandonment is one that is all too real. For some the stress and responsibility of being a parent is just too much and under great emotional stress and turmoil a parent struggling to cope may leave their children unattended in an attempt to reduce the effects of such stress.

For others the responsibility of being a parent – especially at a young age – is too great and the desire to be doing the things that they would be doing if they did not have a child takes control; resulting in a mother or father leaving their child or children unattended in an effort to recapture their own lost youth.

These are sadly scenarios that are all too real and as a result social services and charities dealing with issues relating to children find themselves dealing with such circumstances on an all too regular basis.

The Law and Child Abandonment

Child abandonment is considered to be the leaving of a child on his or her own without any intention of returning to ensure their safety and well being. It is something that is considered to be among the most serious of offences a parent can commit in relation to their child.

Child abandonment is normally discovered if a child or children are left alone for a long period of time and are observed to be behaving in a manner not normally befitting of their behaviour. This may include the children wandering around the area in which they live at peculiar times, asking others as to the whereabouts of their parent or indeed – as is often the case – children misbehaving or causing trouble in order to seek attention.

If a child or children have been found to be abandoned then the law must step in at once in order to secure their safety. If this is the case then the likeliest course of action is for social services to be called in.

What Happens if a Child is found to be Abandoned

The most likely scenario is that social services – having usually been called in by the police – will attempt where possible to contact another family member into whose care the child or children will be placed. This is deemed a temporary measure initially but in the cases of child abandonment that have documented this can become a long term arrangement especially if the parent does not return or shows no signs of being able to cope.

In the absence of any other family the child or children will be placed in foster care until such times as a family member can be located or until such times as the courts, in conjunction with social services, make a decision as to what course of action should be taken.

What is the Penalty for Child Abandonment?

The penalty for child abandonment is usually a custodial sentence – especially if it is proven beyond any doubt that the parent responsible was of sound mind at the time of the abandonment. Social services will normally – along with the police and local authority – try to establish if there have been any mitigating circumstances that have lead up to the offence occurring such as a bereavement, signs of emotional distress or the break-up of a marriage or relationship.

If there are signs of such emotional distress then the parent will be required to undergo counselling and also may be instructed to participate in parenting classes whilst their child or children is looked after in foster care.

With all parties discussing the circumstances surrounding such abandonment the parent may be reunited with his or her children but may be supervised for a set period of time by social services and welfare officers until it is deemed appropriate to allow them to care for their children unsupervised.