Third of parents at risk of having babies taken into care have learning difficulties, research finds

The research looked at cases across four different local authority areas involving a child under the age of one and found 34% involved parents with a learning delay issue.

• Feature: Supporting parents with learning disabilities

• Interview: Lisa Harker, Nuffield FJO director

This trend varied among the council areas, with two in five involving a parent with learning challenges in one. While the proportion dipped to one in five in another.

Disabilities or difficulties in many cases are not being identified until cases reach court, warn researchers.

Professionals interviewed “thought this was far too late and that there were missed opportunities to identify learning disabilities or learning difficulties at an earlier stage”.

Late identification means appropriate support is not in place to meet their needs, such as “the chance to access and meaningfully engage in pre-birth services that might help them to develop or prove their parenting abilities”, add researchers.

This lack of early identification is despite many parents already being known to services, with nearly half of mothers and almost three in 10 fathers already having older children in care. A similar proportion of mothers and fathers were also in care themselves as children.

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) study has been carried out by researchers at the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University.

Institute professor Katy Burch said that professionals interviewed warn that lack of training, experience, authority and time are barriers to assessing parents’ learning difficulties at an earlier stage.

“Our research has shown that the clock is ticking for parents to prove that they can provide good enough care for their child from the moment of referral to children’s social care until court,” she said.

“In advance of their child’s birth, this could mean more tailored support is required depending on individual needs.”

NEW REPORT

This report explores the prevalence, circumstances and experiences of parents with learning disabilities or difficulties involved in care proceedings concerning their babies.

Read more: https://t.co/9bholrY4Yt pic.twitter.com/moCqrO4J9r

— Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (@NuffieldFJO) June 12, 2024

NFJO director Lisa Harker added: “The pre proceedings period is a vital chance for parents to learn or prove their parenting ability, and if these services are not being adapted to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities or difficulties then we could be looking at a serious injustice.

“Parents more widely are already facing delayed support before their baby’s birth and court hearings commencing at very short notice, both of which impact their chance to show they can safely care for their children – this research suggests that parents with learning disabilities or difficulties are facing additional barriers.” 

Researchers point out that under 2010 equality legislation all public bodies including councils and the courts are required “to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that people with disabilities are not put at a substantial disadvantage”.