The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory has published an important report called Spotlight on Recurrent Care Proceedings. It looks at why some mothers end up in the family courts more than once, often facing the heartbreak of having more than one child removed from their care. This research helps us understand the challenges these families face and what can be done to support them better.
What Are Recurrent Care Proceedings?
Recurrent care proceedings happen when a parent, usually a mother, comes back to court for more than one set of care proceedings. This often means that more than one child is taken into care, sometimes at birth. The report highlights two main situations:
- New Child, New Proceedings: A mother returns to court with a new baby.
- Same Child, New Proceedings: A mother returns to court about the same child, often because a previous care arrangement has broken down.
What Did the Report Find?
- It’s More Common Than You Think: About 1 in 4 mothers who go through care proceedings will be back in court within 10 years. For those who return with a new baby, it’s about 1 in 5.
- It Happens Quickly: Most repeat cases happen within three years of the first.
- Young Mums Are Most at Risk: Over 40% of mothers in these situations were teenagers when they had their first child.
- Where You Live Matters: There are more repeat cases in the North and Midlands than in London and the South.
- Newborns Are Often Involved: Many repeat cases involve very young babies, and sadly, many end with adoption or long-term care.
Why Does This Matter?
The report makes it clear that we need to do more to help these families. Here’s what could make a difference:
- Help Early On: Support should start before a first pregnancy and continue through any court proceedings and beyond.
- Specialist Support: Parents who have lost a child to care need tailored help to rebuild their lives and avoid going through it again.
- Better Data: We need to keep track of what’s happening locally and nationally so we can improve services.
- Focus on Hotspots: Areas with the most cases need extra resources and support.
- Long-Term Funding: Many helpful services are small and struggle to keep going because of short-term funding.
The Human Side
Behind every statistic is a real family. The pain of losing a child—especially more than once—is huge. Many of these mothers have faced tough challenges like poverty, abuse, or mental health problems. But the report also shows that, with the right support, things can change for the better.
“At Staffordshire Family Law, we see first-hand the impact that recurrent care proceedings can have on families. We are committed to supporting parents through these difficult times and believe that with the right help, positive change is possible.”
In Summary
The Nuffield report is a wake-up call. If we want to break the cycle of repeat care proceedings, we need to work together—courts, local authorities, and support services—to give families the help they need, when they need it. It’s not just the right thing to do for families; it’s also vital for the future of our family justice system.
At Staffordshire Family Law, we’ve got a team of solicitors who can help parents through the care procedure process and give them the support they need. Kelly Gray and Sydney Edwards are specialists at representing parents in care proceedings. If you want their help, just give us a call at 01785 336617 or drop an email to family@sflsolicitors.co.uk and one of our legal assistants will be happy to help you out.