to be shocked and concerned about a 12 yr old having a tattoo?

[ShockedandConcerned]

Name changed.

Someone i know has allowed her 12 yr old Son to have a tattoo done. This was done at home by her DP (not the boys Dad) who has his own tattooing kit. He isn't qualified in any way that i know of. He bought himself a kit do his own tattoos to add to the ones he already had.

Is this even legal?

She said she didn't say no but said she wasn't keen for him to have one!

I am worried she could get into trouble for allowing it to be done. How will he keep it hidden once back at school doing PE etc?

I'd tell once school is back, one would hope the teachers get involved anyway - there is NO way of hiding this. how STUPID.

sorry, but i do think it's abuse. I ended up reporting one of my DDs 12 year old friends to the police (after a long debate on MN..) for alleged underage sex and posting provocative pictures of herself on the internet. it wasn't easy. the family were visited by SS - the girl in question seems a lot happier now (although I guess you never really know..) My DD admires me for looking out for her friend, not 'getting her into trouble'. If you agree that this child is being abused, (and by my definition indelibly inking the skin of someone arguably nowhere near old enough to make that decision is abuse) or your friend is being abused then you have to stand up. it isn't easy, i know it isn't - but i think you have to. By all means leave it until teh first day the schools are back, but what next? neck tattoo? hands? what about this childs ability to hold down employment when his step dad has finished using him as practise skin?

"What happens to the family if you report it to police, does the DP get community service, a criminal record that might screw up his job prospects, potentially ditto for the boy's mother? Might the boy even be taken into care if either parent got a custodial sentence (because we all know what a lovely experience that tends to be)?

Now, if you think the family unit is so screwed up that all of that would be preferable to the alternative, then fine. But think VERY hard about the chain of unintended consequences that you might be unleashing by contacting police/SS."

A) It's breaking the law
B) Anyone can buy the kits, it is no guarantee that it is being used safely. And anyone that is willing to practise~ tattooing on a 12 year old should be pulled up for it.

NO Tattooist legal or not wouldn't perform such a thing on a minor. Unless he wanted locking up.

i think it might actually be classified as assault, because of the age and a 12 year old nottechnically being able to consent. so your friends DP has potentially assaulted her son, with her tacit consent. nice.

Kaloki This why i am worried about contacting anyone. TBH i don't care about what could happen to him, it is her i worry about. Yes she was wrong to let it happen but i would hate to see her lose her DC over it.

Going to try and find a few mins tomorrow where i can ring SS for some advice without my kids listening in. Will not be naming names or anything.

The law, as far as I know, places the full responsibility on the tattooist.

Totally illegal. I would contact SS and enviromental health.

For starters it is illegal for anybody under the age of 18 to get a tattoo, parental consent does not apply! Infact any parent or guardian who gives 'consent' can actually be prosecuted. I am fairly sure it's classed as interference with a minor.

Secondly i doubt he will be using clean machines, safe inks, protective coverings (plastic bags over the tattoo gun, cables), quality needles etc. You dont just dispose of the needles, you have to autoclave the barrell they fit in to remove any contaminates. He will not be able to buy these things from reputable tattoo suppliers, as you have to show a enviromental helath certificate before you are able to buy of them.

Tattooing from home is very, very illegal. In some cases people can be fines 10's of thousands and in theory you can recieve a prison scentence.
I have worked in the tattoo industry for years and i have seen many cases of people who had tattoos at a very young age having their confidance shattered because of a bad tattoo. So, so sad

Crabwoman Thank you for your reply, very interesting. I didn't realise that home tattooing was also illegal. I assumed that if you could buy the kit easily then it was ok.
Lots of people know he tattoos himself and friends and i think his mate does it too.

Oh God - the Health Visitor, GP, Vicar....somebody! You have to blow the whistle on this!

Don't believe that anyone would collude in the assault of a young child, because they didn't want to lose a friend...

Fleegle She is a close friend. I will be phoning SS for advice tomorrow but don't want to go any further than that until schools are back and hopefully more chance of people finding out about it. I am upset about it all and has been on my mind all day.

blee

I knew someone who tattooed his 13 year old son with a pen and a needle (ie hand held needle!)

a smiley face on ihs knee

If nothing else, make a call to his school to give them a heads up that the tattoo is there, and they'll be obligated to take it from there. That way the family need never know it came from you.

At the end of the day, the kid is 12 and it's crazy to think he would be able to hide his arm until he's of legal age without anyone noticing and reporting. How on earth did the stepdad think he was going to get away with that?

No problems
Unfortunatly it's very easy to buy cheap kits on ebay nowdays. Some are very dodgy indeed (badly wired machines, inks not meeting strict EU standards etc).

It really is disgusting, I think it's abuse too. What were they thinking?? An adult should know better, the poor boy doesn't.

Could ss really take the boy into care solely on the basis of this though? Fuzzy's idea of contacting the school sounds like a good plan.

FFS, this is terrible. His GP should be notified at the very least. What a total twunt his mother must be.

Here's some links for you
Tattooing of Minors Law

www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/76-2.htm

"As mentioned above, there is an existing legal requirement for businesses involved in ear piercing and permanent tattooing to register under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act."

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 Part VIII

"A person shall not in any area in which this section is in force carry on the business?

(a)
of tattooing;

unless he is registered by the local authority for the area under this section."

"A person shall only carry on a business mentioned in subsection (1) above in any area in which this section is in force in premises registered under this section for the carrying on of that business" (eg. not from home)

"Any person who contravenes...
[the above]
...shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1level 3 on the standard scale]." Which is £1000

good lord please report this to SS.

Contacting the school is a good idea. At least they can keep an eye out.
Thanks for links. WIll have a look at them.

I am totally with Eleanor - OP you need to report this to social services, not just oussy foot round in a vague fashion and think about ringing the school.

The stupid mother has failed to step in to stop this, has condoned what is (in my view) a mutilation of her son, and you as her friend are just standing by reluctant to do anything constructive about it. You know that he is emotionally abusive. Why are you so reluctant to do something to help a 12 year old kid?

This is utterly disgusting.

Lol, though, at the HIM heartogram. My stepson has got one of those. Silly bugger .

Bit harsh to call my friend a cunt. Yes she is stupid for letting this happen. I will be phoning SS for advice later. Probably seeing her at some point today too.
I am as disgusted as everyone else that this has been done to him and very worried about what will happen.

This surely is child abuse.

Please report it.

That is disgusting and you should report it. If you are worried try giving the CAB a call and see if they could advise as to what way you could go about doing it anonymously ??? .

The fact that even reputable tattooists can make mistakes when doing their work and that is with years of training and experience, hence the need for age requirements, discussions with the client, heavy insurances, strict health codes with regular checks and the consent forms. They take pride in their work and most are devestated when something does go wrong, they all have to start somewhere but NOT on a 12 year.