Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Make it illegal for a parent to be absent from their child's life
Closed
41 signatures
What the petition asks
We want the Government to make it illegal for a parent to be absent from their child's life. This should be a punishable offence. An absent parent refers to anyone with parental responsibility for a child who fails to maintain contact with their child.
Child abandonment occurs when a parent, guardian, or person in charge of a child deserts a child without any regard for the child's physical health, safety or welfare. Emotional abandonment is when a parent offers little or no physical contact or emotional support over long periods of time. We want this to be made illegal for all people with parental responsibility.
Timeline
| 19 Jun 2023 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 19 Dec 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
41
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
19 Jun 2023
Closed
19 Dec 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.