The emotional distress and burden of guilt is felt not only by birth mothers, fathers and wider family members, but by all the professionals involved in making the decision.
Yet the number of newborns appearing in care proceedings soon after birth in England and Wales has more than doubled over the last decade, and variations in numbers from region to region suggest that there are inconsistencies in practice and how and why decisions are being made.
While intervention is necessary in some cases, where there is an insurmountable risk to the child, there is growing recognition that providing parents with early pre-birth support could reduce the number of babies being removed. Once care proceedings are issued, the 26-week timescale for completion leaves little time for social care professionals to work preventatively with families, or for parents to make the changes needed to prove their ability to safely care for their children.
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