Experts Warn of Unnecessary Adoptions as Baby Care Proceedings Remain High

The number of infants entering care proceedings before their first birthday remains persistently high across England, leading experts to warn of potentially unnecessary adoptions. Data from Lancaster and Oxford universities indicates a 64% rise in care proceedings for babies over the past two decades, affecting one in 118 infants. While these figures peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have since dropped slightly and plateaued.

Experts speaking to File on 4 Investigates suggest that many of these babies might have remained with their families if adequate support had been provided. The concern is that because very young children in care are more likely to be adopted than older ones, some may have been permanently separated from their birth families without this being the last resort. New guidance for Family Court judges aimed at significantly reducing short-notice care hearings for newborns is expected before the end of the year.

According to the latest government figures, 72% of adopted children in England entered care before their first birthday. CoramBAAF, an organization representing adoption and care professionals, reports that over 90% of these adoptions proceeded without the parents' written consent. In nearly half of these cases, courts overruled parental objections; the remainder were classified as "unopposed," with many parents reportedly advised not to contest due to a low likelihood of success.

While adoption offers stability, it permanently severs the legal relationship between a child and their birth family. The government and adoption organizations emphasize that adoption should be pursued only as a last resort.

Professor Karen Broadhurst from Lancaster University has analyzed care proceedings, suggesting that only about a quarter are "clear-cut" cases involving serious harm or abuse. The majority, she states, fall into a "grey area" of neglect stemming from parental issues such as substance abuse or housing instability, which might be addressed with sufficient support.

Children's charity Coram warns that infants not adopted are likely to remain in the care system, which research indicates is associated with poorer life outcomes. Social workers, like one identified as Tracy, face difficult decisions daily, balancing the need to intervene against giving families time to overcome crises.

These decisions carry immense weight, underscored by high-profile cases of child harm. The British Association of Social Workers notes that its members are working under increasing caseloads and reduced resources. The low percentage of adoptions with parental consent has led some campaigners to label the situation as modern-day "forced adoption."

Professor Broadhurst acknowledges the term "forced adoption" is contentious but argues it reflects the reality for parents who disagree with permanent separation from their children. She highlights the distress for parents who lose contact, or have minimal contact, with their child until they reach adulthood.

One mother, Jean, recounts her experience of having her daughter, Tye, placed in care at 11 weeks old and subsequently adopted at two. Jean, who has a disability, sought help to care for her baby but claims her local authority did not provide the necessary support. Despite her efforts, professionals advised the court that Tye needed a stable, permanent family, a decision Jean describes as "forced." Tye, upon reaching adulthood, sought out her mother, feeling that adoption had left her with a "whole chunk of heritage" missing.

Newham Council stated that Jean was offered extensive support, including a 24-hour residential mother and baby unit, and two-way letterbox communication for contact. Sarah Johal, head of Adoption England, understands the use of "forced adoption" but emphasizes that current decisions are child protection responses made by the Family Court.

Support for birth families has decreased significantly. Spending on early intervention services has fallen by 44% in a decade, while the costs of children in care have risen by 50%. This reduction in funding makes it harder for local authorities to assist struggling parents, according to social workers.

Concern has also risen regarding the speed of care decisions. Over half of urgent care hearings in England in 2024-25 involved newborns, with mothers appearing in court days or even hours after giving birth. The forthcoming guidance for judges aims to ensure courts are rigorous in refusing cases that do not meet urgency criteria.

However, Broadhurst notes that judges are only one part of a larger system. The government is investing £2.4 billion to transform children's social care, focusing on earlier and better support for families to stay together. Research from the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory consistently shows that early, intensive support for birth mothers is crucial for safely reducing the number of children entering the care system.

In Salford, a project called Strengthening Families has found that approximately three-quarters of referred families have been able to stay together with specialized, intensive support during a child's early years. A dedicated midwife on the project, Adele Martin, emphasizes the importance of building trust with pregnant mothers facing crisis.