Increase in number of babies placed into care

The number of babies taken from their parents at birth and placed into care has soared in the last seven years.

Figures compiled forthe first time show that 13,248 babies in England were taken into care at birth or not long afterwards between 2007 and 2014.

One mother had 16 babies taken away from her, the researchers at Lancaster University, Brunel University London and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust found. They compiled the figures using family court records. The report said 2,018 newborns were made the subject of care proceedings in 2013, up from 802 in 2008.

The research showed that around half of the babies were taken from women who had other children in care, while a third were removed from teenage mothers. Professor Karen Broadhurst, who led the research, told the PressAssociation: “There is more pressure to remove infants from situations of harm earlier because we can see the longer infants are left in situations of harm, the more [they are susceptible to] psychological harm.”

The researchers interviewed 72 women “in depth” and found on average they had four babies taken into care.

ProfessorBroadhurst added: “These women had a child removed and then got into a pattern. They often talked about an initial unplanned pregnancy and then how having children removed exacerbated risky behaviour such as alcohol and drugs misuse.

“They described being in an absolute state of despair.”

Professor Broadhurst said these “repeat clients” of the family court often followed the pattern seen in women who lost their babies or have a stillborn, becoming pregnant again “in quick succession”: “As you have more babies removed, the desire to replace the baby becomes stronger.”

The report calls for a law to be introduced to make support for mothers who have their babies removed available.

The researchers worked with Pause, a project funded by the Department for Education working with repeat clients of the family court in seven UK locations, as a model.

Professor Broadhurst said the woman who had 16 babies taken into carewas nowreceiving support from Pause.