[Sticks]

The debate on abortion got me thinking on this one


Suppose you were to find a basket with a baby at your door.

The baby is alive, there is a note with the baby's name and requesting the finder to look after it as the mother is not in a position to.

Officially people call the police and it enters the social services system.

But instead would you take it in, or at least offer to the authorities to look after it? possibly hoping that the mother might one day return

One of the ladies in our church is a foundling, so she is unable to give medical history beyond her. She is now a grandmother.

I once heard that if a child is abandoned and they can not trace it's mother or father, then it gets a criminal record for being abandoned. It was a long time ago I heard that and I think it was referenced on an Australian Soap. I do know from someone at work, that foundlings where the parents are not traced are made Wards of court, before they enter the care system

If this happened to me, I would try and make sure the chain of evidence was preserved and consult with church members in case anyone was in a better position than me for looking after it and then seek for legal advice. I might offer to the authorities to try and raise the child and tell them the offer was because of my concerns about what I had heard about the infant getting a criminal record for being abandoned.

BTW can anyone confirm or refute this legal point about criminal records, as it kind of motivates what I would do

[Magic]

God.
I suppose I would hand it in, being at my age etc. But if I was older, had the money and time, I suppose I may consider adopting it. But its hard for me to say now.

[Jackie]

I'd hand it in to social services.

[Barbie]

my brain is frazzled! im totally confused
if i found a baby i would hand it in to social services

[Lauren]

Why would the baby get a "CRIMINAL RECORD" ?

[AngRemembered]

or immediately any of the emergency services, starting with Police or nearest hospital.

As for the law I'm pretty sure the same consequences of keeping a child 'found' in this manner would aplly if you visited a childrens home or adoption clinic and just walked off with a child or baby.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Lauren
Why would the baby get a "CRIMINAL RECORD" ?

I can't think why either

It was a long time ago I heard this on an Australian soap IIRC it was "A country Practice" and they stated the baby would get some kind of police record for being abandoned. This may be Australian law rather than English or Scottish law

Someone at work has a knowledge of how adoption and fostering works, and when someone gives up a child for adoption, they have to sign certain forms, so I asked them what if the child was a foundling and the parents never traced. I was told that they would be made a "Ward of Court" before being adopted out. So I wonder if that was what was being referred to, i.e there is a criminal or police record against them, because of being made a Ward of Court.

Any lawyers present here who can clarify. I tried Wikipedia but it did not have much on this topic.

As for what would you do, in most cases reported, the police are called, the baby is taken to hospital to be checked out. The police try and look for the mother in case she needs medical treatment, in the case of a new born being abandoned. The child is then placed with social services, and they go down the court route assuming the mother or father is never traced.

[Tom]

It was referenced on an Australian soap, they have different laws.

Anyway I'd hand it in to social services, I could never bring up somebody elses kid.

[Christina]

Id probably take it home and get my mum to decide what to do with it knowing her she'd probably look after the baby until its time for the baby to be taken away lol x

[Fom]

I would give it in straight away, the chances are that if you take it home and look after it your going to get attached to it and your hearts only going to be broken when the social services find out.
If it was possible that when I took it in and they offered adoption I would consider it, because I wouldn't want the baby to go through the adoption process, its a rough world. Although my friend was adopted and he seems perfectly fine, but the thought would cross my mind. But what's to say the baby wasn't kidnapped then placed in a basket? The police need to know to just check, a mother and father could be so upset.

[Lauren]

I'd give it the basic needs... i.e. make sure it's clean, fed, warm etc.

Then I'd ring social services. I'm too young to look after a baby.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Tom
It was referenced on an Australian soap, they have different laws.

And assuming I remembered the soap correctly, and they got it right

The authorities would need to be notified, but I make make the offer to look after it, saying the mother might change her mind and come back to my proverbial door looking for it.

Had not thought about the kidnap angle, I assume the scenario is that it was the drop of point after the ransom had been paid .

[Firewire]

I would be to confuzzled. I wouldn't know what to do. I would probably pass out.

[Nicola]

I'd look after it but also contact Social Services and inform them, so they can take any action. I've got a child anyway so I would know how to look after a baby.

[PrimaryObjective]

I would call the police immediately. I wouldn't bathe the child in case the police needed to find any trace evidence on the baby's clothing etc. I wouldn't feed the child in case there were any health problems causing allergies, etc.

I would ensure the child was breathing (of course), warm and comfortable, then I'd wait for the authorities.

After that, I'd leave it in their hands. In the majority of abandonments, the mother is found, so there would be no use in thinking of adopting the child myself.

And, I might be wrong, but I don't think anyone would be entitled to know what happens to the baby after the hand-over just because they found it. There would be legal privacy issues.

[Sticks]

These boys did and they took it to the hospital

The later found the mother

[bronaaaa]

Originally posted by Magic
God.
I suppose I would hand it in, being at my age etc. But if I was older, had the money and time, I suppose I may consider adopting it. But its hard for me to say now.

Same as

[pinkmichk]

first thing i'd do is make sure it was warm clean fed then i'd phone the police i'd also leave my details so that if mother couldnt be traced etc then i'd take the child on if that was what was needed

[lily.]

I can't imagine what must go through a new mother's head to make her abandon her baby. Poor girl.

Glad the one you posted worked out in the end Sticks.

[Spike]

I don't like babys so I would just hand it in

[lily.]

LoL @ "it".

And, I love how you say you don't like babies, like that would make a difference to what you would do in that situation.. haha