How could being undocumented make it difficult for a child in China to attend school or find work?

Under the one-child policy, families who had children in violation of the regulations often kept those births hidden from authorities. Consequently, these children remained undocumented, which created significant barriers to their participation in society.12

Because these children lacked official registration, they faced severe hardships in accessing essential public services. Specifically, being undocumented made it difficult for them to enroll in schools to receive an education or to secure formal employment. Estimates regarding the number of these undocumented individuals have ranged from hundreds of thousands to several million, highlighting the long-term social consequences for children born outside the government's strict family planning mandates.12