Serious question: why don’t we prosecute for child abandonment in the UK

[Hypie]

I’m talking about all the men who’ve ghosted, abandoned, left a trail of kids behind them.

Is there no political will? The scale is so huge it wouldn’t be feasible? At the very least there should be some government record of parents who’ve abandoned their children - it should follow them around for the rest of their life.

I think when the prime minister of the country doesn’t even admit how many children he has publicly, there’s not going to be much push from them to address the issue.

Lack of payment of CMS should be a fine and imprisonment of the absent parent.

My ex pays a fortune in extra to his pension to reduce his CMS to a bare minimum -that should be illegal too. As should making the RP pay to have the AP wages garnished at source. Why should you be effectively fined as a RP because the AP doesn't pay up. Also I feel money owed -should stay on their file forever as a debt with the same enforcement at say Tax -eg imprisonment for non payment and hounding and it should be done at source.

Why? The issue surely is to ensure that children are well fed, housed and cared for.

If the resident parent doesn't mind ( and in some cases is relieved to be rid of the other parent) I'm not sure it is anyone else's business.
Being unpleasant or disloyal isn't against the law. Who is to judge? My ex refused to change a nappy or care for his child, believing it was the mother's job. I disagreed and eventually left. So who is to blame, him for his views or me for walking away? There are too many shades of grey.

I agree with @lamaperiwinkle , there are too many ways to avoid paying CMS, that could easily be blocked.

Mintjulia

It doesn't matter who walked away, (wait for the but at the end) the father (or mother) should be made responsible for the child that they made.

The but is if the RP prevents the NRP from making any contact and the NRP can prove that they have tried to make contact and support their child.

But I think that the OP is more talking about those that have many children by many different partners and just move on.

Just take away passports and driving licences for non-payment, that would probably be effective enough.

Agree that with Mr Johnson as Prime Minister it will not happen.

i agree both parents should be made responsible for their kids and to cover the cost of them. Why should the taxpayer pay for them (via benefits) if its feasible for the parents to do it?

@Mintjulia

Why? The issue surely is to ensure that children are well fed, housed and cared for.

If the resident parent doesn't mind ( and in some cases is relieved to be rid of the other parent) I'm not sure it is anyone else's business.
Being unpleasant or disloyal isn't against the law. Who is to judge? My ex refused to change a nappy or care for his child, believing it was the mother's job. I disagreed and eventually left. So who is to blame, him for his views or me for walking away? There are too many shades of grey.

Because if you make a child you should financially pay for that child. That money should be FOR the child and FOR the RP to help look after that child.

It's not rocket science that the majority of us lone parents, struggle with rent / mortgage/ child care etc

Paying 15% of your salary is the bare minimum a NRP should do - and it should be a requirement by law. At the moment if the NRP doesn't pay the STATE writes it off as a bad debt. That shouldn't happen.

My eldest is going to go to university hopefully in September.

My financial contribution is expected as given by the student finance service to be insanely high, it doesn’t take into account other DC I have to financially support or anything. Compared to CMS which is a pittance and takes into account everything in order to ensure the NRP pays as little as possible. If the NRP even bothers paying it that is.

I found the contrast interesting. Obviously twatface won’t be expected to contribute at all towards the financial support of our children who are moving on to higher education.