To not register child’s birth

[orangesandlemmingz]

Disclaimer this is NOT something I have done/ would do or in fact even considered, but I saw on a parenting group that this is a thing, post got removed / muted relatively soonish or else I might’ve asked is this a ‘thing’ some people do or don’t do to be precise?

I know there are all sorts of decisions in life that we might not agree with each other on and stuff but I’m struggling to see what the driver is around this? whats the ‘harm’ or danger or [insert bad word here] around registering your child’s birth.

anyone come know? I can imagine it causing a lot of issues later in life? I mean how does that child go to school or get health care as they ‘don’t exist’?

These people don't want anyone to know their children exist, so child abuse as they would be unable to access any sevices. I would think in this country it would be damn near impossible, unless they had no outside assistance at birth and never take the baby out.

Is it a sovereign citizen / freeman on the land sort of thing?

I know that hospitals inform 'the authorities' of a child's birth, so registrars local to a child's birth will be expecting them.
What was more surprising to me, is that a child's NI number is allocated to them at birth, via the same system.
I don't know, however, what would happen if a child's birth wasn't registered, but do know it's an offence not to register the birth of a baby.

GPS surgery, school registration, child benefit, passport, travel card for free/cheaper bus fares... just some places I've needed birth certificates in the past year or so.

Of course, if you aren't planning on vaccinating, home educating, not going on holiday etc...

Then there's national insurance numbers!

i mean it’s possible, people do decline nhs maternity services but ultimately even though ill advised all health care is optional and you can give birth wherever you like, so some people do totally go it alone, and it was definitely in relation to the UK

is this a ‘thing’ some people do or don’t do to be precise?

There’s a legal requirement to register a birth within a certain time period. And they have a record of all babies born (from the hospital or midwife). So when I phoned to make an appointment to register mine, they asked for my details and then cross checked it. “Was that at XX hospital at 2.31 pm on x date?”. So you can bet that they then check that list to ensure that all those babies have been registered and accounted for.

Presumably if you free birth/don’t go to any antenatal appointments, then you might get away with it? But I can’t see why anyone would - child can’t access any healthcare or education, get a passport etc. And it’s an offence.

I’m not sure, maybe, but to be honest with you I’m not sure what that even means?

It's a great way to ensure your child won't be able to access schools, the NHS, get a passport, or even get a job. As they won't legally exist.

It would make sense if you were planning on abusing your child.

See I’m thinking (maybe wrongly) that if such and such was to not register their child they are probably also the type to decline ante natal care/ any outside care at birth too?

but I just can’t see the why, like why would you not register them? Not that I would, but I can see the driver for some women declining mat care (it’s daft in my opinion and potentially deadly but if they’ve had bad experiences etc I can see sort of their pov) but not with not registering a baby

I was late registering birth of my second. A house move when DS was 2 weeks and super high snow drifts. The registrar called gave me an extension and made me an appointment. The hospital inform them of births and they follow up.

I think to avoid registering you’d have to avoid medical care during pregnancy and give birth at home.

It sounds like an awful idea tbh.

Rejecting NHS services would mean they already know the child exists. It would be kept an eye on and followed up. I think the only way to do it would to keep the pregnancy and birth a secret and live in isolation. Pretty difficult to achieve in the UK I would have thought.

That’s what I mean, aside from being a horrific child abuser what’s the motivation to not register, as far as I can see it causss nothing but agro

From the post though it does seem like some do it, conceal the pregnancy from day dot or maybe decline and the system being so stretched just loses track of them

Can only assume someone would try to not register a birth would either be part of some sort of cult or someone (or someone being controlled) who intends to abuse, traffic or enslave a child. I can imagine there are circumstances where this could happen even in the UK (mother with learning disabilities being abused by partner for example) but can think of no scenario where there would be anything other than very poor outcomes for the child.

There's a whole conspiracy theory thing about how your birth certificate is about the state owning you and putting money in a trust in your name and declaring you dead after 7 years. It's the most ludicrous bollocks but mildly entertaining.

There's a whole bit about how your name all in capitals is your strawman and not the actual you and if you register the birth you are consenting to live under Admiralty law. Because birth sounds like berth.....

There are a disturbing number of people who believe all this and think it gets them out of paying council tax

@DappledThings beat me to it. A male colleague didn't want to register the birth of his daughter as he believed that meant the state would own her... Luckily her mum did it anyway. 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

I think is very off grid anti establishment types. If you don't notify anyone your pregnant or give birth in hospital, then their would be no record. They are probably the same sort that might be drawn to home schooling anyway, against vaccines and prefer 'homeopathic medicine'. Theoretically if you had a straight forward delivery, no serious injuries or illness and didn't come to the attention of authority's for any other reason (eg. Parent been arrested), it might be possible to get to adulthood without being registered.

At that point the child might be so indoctrinated in their parents ideals they wish to continue off grid and work cash in hand, though most probably run a mile as soon as they can and then have to battle to prove who they are so they can be registered and live a normal life.

No, health care is not optional for children. Parents / guardians do not have the right to decline health care for their children.

Yeah bet this is it, this is probably the ‘why’

I don’t even understand that conspiracy theory, the state put money in your name and declare you dead 7 years later?

off to google admiralty law

I was talking about as an adult, if you or I got pregnant tomorrow it’s our right to decline all health care/ intervention or mat care because the baby isn’t born yet

side note haven’t there been cases of jehovahs witnesses refusing to allow their kids to have blood transfusions? Or has the hospital overridden the parent? I thought these things ended up in court?

Some people do have very chaotic lives and just wouldn't be thinking about it the way you are in terms of their own healthcare much less a future child's healthcare, schooling, employment etc.

And if people have experienced major trauma they may not trust that people in positions of power (as healthcare professionals etc are) have their best interests at heart - or can be trusted at all. Therefore they avoid coming into contact with them.

other people will be more deliberate about it for entirely different reasons, such as extreme beliefs or coercion.

I shall be vague but at one point in the recent past the school I work at had new admissions that had not been registered at birth. These children had no known DOB and the ages and thus the years they were placed in were a guess.

The reason they became known to authorities was due to a need for medical treatment, one adult relative was also found to not have been registered. The ending was a happy one for the whole family.

If you were fleeing abuse from someone with access to those systems it might seem like it's in the best interests of the child. If you are here illegally of have an arrest warrent. If you fear for yourself if people find out you've had a child (unmarried mothers in certain cultures). Not saying I agree but I see the logic.

I do find it quite ironic that someone wouldn't register their child out of fear of the government owning them, but they quite happily use Facebook where you are literally the product.