It would be child neglect if a parent providing full time care failed to provide a child with food, clothing or shelter. Yet, when a parent deliberately avoids child maintenance, depriving their child of those same essentials, it is not treated the same. It should be made a criminal offence.

We call on the Government to legally recognise the deliberate and persistent evasion of child maintenance obligations as a form of statutory child neglect. Where there is clear evidence that a parent has intentionally avoided providing financial support for their child, the Government should introduce criminal sanctions. Children should be protected from financial neglect just as they are protected from other forms of neglect.