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Born into care: Evidence of a failed state

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  • Bilson, Andy
  • Bywaters, Paul

Abstract

This paper shows that the number of children who entered state care in England before they were a week old was 44% higher than shown by previous research if children ‘voluntarily’ placed in care are included. A series of freedom of information requests show the rapid increase between 2007 and 2017. The difference in rates between local authorities is also rapidly increasing and bigger increases are associated with both levels of deprivation and local authorities whose performance was graded inadequate or needing improvement by the Office for Standards in Education. In 25 local authorities an average of one child in every 100 live births is separated from its parents in the first week in life, with very few ever being reunited. The growth in numbers and proportions of children entering care in the first week of life is a key driver of adoption rates. But far from acting as a form of prevention, with lower proportions of older children entering care, where local authorities undertake very early removal from parents the opposite is true. This points to a possible spiral of failure as a high proportion of parents who have been in care risk losing their children at birth.

Suggested Citation

  • Bilson, Andy & Bywaters, Paul, 2020. "Born into care: Evidence of a failed state," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:116:y:2020:i:c:s0190740920301894
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105164
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bilson, Andy & Munro, Elizabeth Hunter, 2019. "Adoption and child protection trends for children aged under five in England: Increasing investigations and hidden separation of children from their parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 204-211.
    2. Roberts, Louise & Meakings, Sarah & Forrester, Donald & Smith, Audra & Shelton, Katherine, 2017. "Care-leavers and their children placed for adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 355-361.
    3. Calum J. R. Webb & Paul Bywaters, 2018. "Austerity, rationing and inequity: trends in children’s and young peoples’ services expenditure in England between 2010 and 2015," Local Government Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 391-415, May.
    4. Roberts, Louise & Maxwell, Nina & Elliott, Martin, 2019. "When young people in and leaving state care become parents: What happens and why?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-1.
    5. White, Sue & Gibson, Matthew & Wastell, David, 2019. "Child protection and disorganized attachment: A critical commentary," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Bywaters, Paul & Scourfield, Jonathan & Webb, Calum & Morris, Kate & Featherstone, Brid & Brady, Geraldine & Jones, Chantel & Sparks, Tim, 2019. "Paradoxical evidence on ethnic inequities in child welfare: Towards a research agenda," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 145-154.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luhamaa, Katre & McEwan-Strand, Amy & Ruiken, Barbara & Skivenes, Marit & Wingens, Florian, 2021. "Services and support for mothers and newborn babies in vulnerable situations: A study of eight European jurisdictions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    2. Doebler, Stefanie & Broadhurst, Karen & Alrouh, Bachar & Cusworth, Linda & Griffiths, Lucy, 2022. "Born into care: Associations between area-level deprivation and the rates of children entering care proceedings in Wales," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Keddell, Emily & Cleaver, Kerri & Fitzmaurice, Luke, 2021. "The perspectives of community-based practitioners on preventing baby removals : Addressing legitimate and illegitimate factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    4. Janet Boddy & Bella Wheeler, 2020. "Recognition and Justice? Conceptualizing Support for Women Whose Children Are in Care or Adopted," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-21, December.

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