Concealment of birth is the act of a parent (or other responsible person) failing to report the birth of a child. The term is sometimes used to refer to hiding the birth of a child from friends or family, but is most often used when the appropriate authorities have not been informed about a stillbirth or the death of a newborn. This is a crime in many countries, with varying punishments. Australia Australian Capital Territory Section 47 of the Crimes Act 1900 creates the offence of concealment of birth. New South Wales Section 85 of the Crimes Act 1900 creates the offence of concealment of birth. Northern Territory Section 163 of the Criminal Code Act creates the offence of concealment of birth. South Australia Section 83 of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 creates the offence of concealment of birth. Western Australia Section 291 of the Criminal Code (Schedule to the Criminal Code Compilation Act 1913) creates the offence of concealing the birth of children. Tasmania Section 166 of the Criminal Code Act 1924 creates the offence of concealment of birth. Victoria Section 67 of the Crimes Act 1958 creates the offence of concealing birth of a child. Canada Section 242 of the Canadian Criminal Code (injury to, or death of, a child due to its mother neglecting to obtain assistance in child birth with intent that it should not live or to conceal its birth). (English) (French) Section 243 of that Code (concealing the dead body of a child with intent to its conceal birth). (English) (French) England and Wales, and Northern Ireland In England and Wales, and in Northern Ireland, section 60 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 creates the offence of concealing the birth of a child: The words "with or without hard labour" omitted in the first place were repealed for England and Wales by section 1(2) of the Criminal Justice Act 1948. The proviso to this section, as extended by any subsequent enactment, was repealed for England and Wales by section 10 of, and paragraph 13(1)(a) of Schedule 2 to, and Part III of Schedule 3 to, the Criminal Law Act 1967. Originally, the proviso allowed the jury to find an alternative verdict of this offence on a charge of murder. In England and Wales, it was subsequently extended to allow the jury to find an alternative verdict of this offence on a