This month for our column over at Jordans Family Law, we’ve chosen to write about what appears to be a growing trend, both nationally and internationally: criminal sanctions for bad parenting. But will this new move to punish parents protect children in the long run, and help the newly established Family Court achieve its goals of being family friendly and child focused?
That’s what we discuss in our piece. From new laws in America which seek to charge women with assault for giving birth to children with health problems, to parents being jailed in the UK for their children’s truancy, we ask whether these measures really help to reduce crimes against the child or whether they are simply ineffective.
Please do have a read of the article and tell us what you think. You can post your thoughts here, or over at the highly informative Jordans website just under the article itself.
You can check out more articles and case summaries on Jordans’ Home Page.
Researching Reform 
Poor,poor, UK ! Gradually there is coming the time when the State controls what kids eat,what they wear,what time they go to bed,how long they can watch tv ,how much time on their lap tops,,what they can read,what they can view,who they can talk to,what they can say, and where they can go to play politically correct games that never have losers !
Social workers already criticise parents who infringe the boundaries on these activities that social services set.Soon it seems, it will be criminal punishment for parents who allow their kids to break those rules and cross those boundaries !
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I really hope not.
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Will the same law apply to the SS corporate parent?
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Hi Catherine, thank you for your thought. I did ask Action for Children (who drafted the Bill) that question, along with several others which you’re welcome to view here, but they declined to answer them.
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I do know a mother blamed MSBP for giving her daughter spina bifida and had all children removed.She was not a druggie or alcoholic either and had many masters degrees. I cannot write too much for obvious reasons.
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So they mention sexual abuse and domestic violence and we all know that solicitors advise not to tell the judge re both or the protector parent will loose full custody and the child will be placed with abuser.
So court ordered abuse and rape is all right then?
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At what point does the moral compass of these people, working in child protection change? They seem to be able to inflict pain on families with impunity. Their reasons are dressed up as concern for the child but its anything but!
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Hi Natasha
I think Sir James Munby has made his intentions clear. i.e failing to obey orders made in the family courts will usually carry a consequence.
The straplines in your article could just as easily have been spun as, “In 2012, at least 10,000 kids did not get their right to an education because of shocking parenting”, or, “parents jailed for repeatedly flaunting orders that uphold their children’s right to a relationship with both parents.
Punitive measures are only ever applied when orders are repeatedly flaunted for no good reason.
Frankly, children have been made to suffer at the hands of vindictive parents for too long and their rights are denied without a second thought. Sir James’s initiative is long overdue and should be extended to false allegations, and lies. Why should perjury, false allegations and contemptuous behaviour be acceptable in any court?
If there are accusations of abuse and the accuser has failed to take responsible steps to report them, then, the accuser has neglected their duty to their children. This should recognised as such and not simply brushed aside.
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Hi Stevie,
Yes, I think bad parenting needs to be addressed, but as always in the pro-punishment debate, everyone forgets about the impact on the kids. Locking up a parent for failing to take them to school won’t address the root of the problem and will deprive children of parents who may have many other beneficial attributes. Treating human beings like machines that must do x,y, and z and if they fail to do so must suffer a, b and c, is rather simplistic, I think.
Let’s try looking at the reasons behind bad parenting and see if we can’t break the cycle, which it so often is, and ensure that children aren’t left parentless unless absolutely necessary.
I also don’t believe Munby is pro punishment in the way you think he is. His recent move to bolster the Family Drug and Alcohol court would indicate the contrary.
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