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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to refuse to provide Nursery with longer length birth certificate?

88 replies

peonylover22 · 22/01/2018 17:24

DS has been at nursery since October. We provided a copy of his short form birth certificate, together with details of DH and me, when he was registered with the nursery. Nursery now want a copy of the longer length birth certificate for all children in their care. AIBU in refusing to provide this? I don’t want to be a “difficult parent” but I don’t want to provide the additional personal data unless there is a legal requirement for the nursery to obtain this information. Of course if there is such a legal requirement we will happily provide it.

OP posts:
OddBoots · 22/01/2018 17:43

Isn't the main difference between the two the name of the parents? Do they want to make sure they have an accurate record of who has parental responsibility?

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 22/01/2018 17:44

It sure about nurseries, but I didn’t think schools were allowed to ask for the long form birth certificate.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 22/01/2018 17:45

Yes, you’re allowed the short form, BuggerOff, it’s asking for the long form that might get you into trouble.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 22/01/2018 17:46

The short one only has mothers details on it doesn’t it?

NeedsAsockamnesty · 22/01/2018 17:46

Obviously and the child’s

kaytee87 · 22/01/2018 17:50

It's not sensitive data. Anyone can get a copy of anyone else's birth certificate for a small fee. The things recorded on it are a matter of public record.
I don't get the big deal? I also don't actually know why they need it though so just ask them to explain.

Original poster
peonylover22 · 22/01/2018 17:50

I’m in the UK. I’m not deliberately hiding anything, just not inclined to provide information unless there is an actual requirement. We provided details of who has parental responsibility as part of the registration form. So the only additional information would be our occupations and birth places. I just don’t see why they need this? I can understand why data on occupations would be useful to a business e.g. if you were trying to work out whether your customers could afford a hefty fee hike...

OP posts:
BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 22/01/2018 17:52

Yes, you’re allowed the short form, BuggerOff, it’s asking for the long form that might get you into trouble.

Our LA actually specifies that the long form should be sought wherever possible as we have to record both parents names and confirm exactly who has parental responsibility.

Original poster
peonylover22 · 22/01/2018 17:53

Oh and I have asked why they want it. Because Head Office want them to collect it, apparently an Ofsted inspector would like to see it if they are inspected. Is this true? If it is an Ofsted requirement, I will definitely provide it!

OP posts:
Zebrasinpyjamas · 22/01/2018 17:55

My nursery required it to prove the names of people who have parental rights.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 22/01/2018 17:57

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s allowed. It wouldn’t be the first time an LA has had a policy that breaches the Admission Code.

It’s the fact that it contains the parents occupations that’s the issue, if I remember correctly

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 22/01/2018 18:02

We provided details of who has parental responsibility as part of the registration form.

And I expect you gave the correct information. We recently had someone claiming that her partner was the parent of the child and had parental responsibility- tbe man's solicitor then requested a letter from us confirming that he was active in parenting the child in support of his immigration application..... turns out he wasn't the child's father or even genuinely the partner of the mother..... We also have mothers saying that the father has no parental responsibility when they do (and therefore have a legal right to receive things like reports and invitations to parents evenings). Unfortunately these documents are needed because of the people who lie....

Basecamp21 · 22/01/2018 18:03

Anyone who thinks birth certificates do not have sensitive information must have led very sheltered lives.

What if one or both parents had been in prison or homeless at the time of the birth. What if the mum or dad is not the biological parent.

What relevance has this info on a nursery. Names on birth certificates do not state who has parental responsibility- court orders can over ride them.

If short birth certificates are not enough to register for state services what is the point of them.

Always question why people want info on you.

kaytee87 · 22/01/2018 18:15

Contact ofsted and ask.

kaytee87 · 22/01/2018 18:17

@Basecamp21 legally it's not sensitive data as anyone has access to it. Well they do in Scotland anyway. I could walk into the local registrars tomorrow with a name, dob & £10 and walk out with their birth certificate.

Familylawsolicitor · 22/01/2018 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

happymummy12345 · 22/01/2018 18:21

My ds has just started nursery and they needed a copy of his birth certificate. I didn't think twice about it. I took both with me, and just gave them both, so they could use whichever they needed. I don't see the problem with them having such info..

ArnoldBee · 22/01/2018 18:22

Clearly it's to find out if the parents of the child are illegal immigrants as that and pr would be the only information you would be able to work out.

Occupations and address would only be correct at the time of the birth and would have no relevance now.

A guy I knew missed out on a job as hexwss adopted at 12 days old and was unable to provide a birth cert for those 12 days of his life all because the company was scared of being fined if he was an illegal immigrant. As he said he must have got up to a lot in those 12 days!

Bramble71 · 22/01/2018 18:23

I used to work for a government body and the long form certificate was needed to prove that the applicant was the child's parent. All the short form has is the child's information. I guess the long form is needed to confirm who the parents are/mother is (if father not listed). I guess a nursery will need to know who they are handing kids over to at the end of the day?

needmorespace · 22/01/2018 18:25

@Basecamp21 Births certs (in England and Wales at any rate) do not carry details of prison!!! Even if one of the parents had been in prison at the time of the birth, it would be the address of the prison not the name that would be shown.
Short birth certs show nothing other than the child's name, dob, sex and where their birth has been registered. They do not show mother or father details at all. Probably moot from now on as there is no such thing as free short cert anymore - they now cost £4 the same as a long one so not many parents are buying them.
I would imagine that BuggerOff has hit the nail on the head - the long one shows who exactly has parental responsibility - which isn't removed if the parents have separated.

needmorespace · 22/01/2018 18:27

ArnoldBee A long birth certificate is not going to give information on a parent or child's immigration status! It simply shows where parent's were born not their nationality or status.

Isadora2007 · 22/01/2018 18:27

Data protection laws state you can only ask for information if it is relevant to your company/organisation and you can’t ask for extra info just because you want it. So ask exactly what the purpose of them knowing that additional info is. And refer them to data protection laws.

brownelephant · 22/01/2018 18:31

yabu
There is no "data" on a birth certificate that could be considered sensitive and it's a public document. anyone can request (for a fee) a copy.

gamerchick · 22/01/2018 18:31

Good grief OP as if it matters. Anyone With the bare details of your child and where they were registered can go and get the long birth certificate. All you need to do is hand over coin. You're just being awkward for the sake of it imo.

cuttingcarbonemissions · 22/01/2018 18:32

I think you should ask them why they need to see the long certificate.

The PR argument does not hold water because the fact that A and B had PR for child C at birth does not mean they still have it now child C is entering nursery.