Child Protection Experts Urge Trauma Support for Parents After Baby Victoria Death
A national child safeguarding review has emphasised the critical need for trauma-informed support for parents whose children are taken into care, aiming to interrupt destructive cycles and reduce risks to future babies. This recommendation follows the tragic death of baby Victoria Marten, whose case has highlighted systemic gaps in support for troubled families.
Review Highlights Need for Parental Focus
The review, published by the national child safeguarding practice review panel, stated that to effectively interrupt cycles of harm, professionals must place greater emphasis on supporting parents alongside their vulnerable infants. It noted that Victoria's birth was part of a rapid series of pregnancies and removals into care, creating a repeating pattern with devastating outcomes.
Sir David Holmes, chair of the panel, remarked, "Whereas the death of baby Victoria wasn't predictable, her conception arguably was." He stressed that better engagement with families at risk of child removal could help prevent similar tragedies by addressing underlying issues rather than merely reacting to crises.
Case Background and Systemic Failures
Victoria died in January 2023 after her parents, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, took her to live in a tent in wintry conditions to evade social services. Her remains were found in March that year. The couple, jailed for 14 years in September 2024 for manslaughter and related offences, had fled authorities to prevent Victoria being taken into care, as had happened with four older siblings.
The review identified several key failures:
- No specific agency or professional was responsible for supporting the couple after their children were removed, leaving them isolated and unsupported.
- The successive removal of children reinforced their perception of harm from social care, making concealment of Victoria seem rational to them.
- The couple's persistent reluctance to engage with authorities, moving five times during pregnancies from 2017 to 2023, coincided with escalating safeguarding concerns.
It acknowledged complex challenges, including domestic abuse, Gordon's rape conviction, and parental unwillingness to engage, all contributing to Victoria's death.
Statistics and Recommendations
According to the latest Department for Education statistics, as of 31 March 2025, there were 5,360 under-ones subject to child protection plans in England, including 3,930 babies under one year old and 1,430 unborn infants. The panel made several recommendations to improve safeguarding:
- Develop national guidance on safeguarding for babies, covering concealed pregnancies and pre-birth planning for unborn infants at risk.
- Require registered sex offenders to inform police of new partners and impending births, with potential imprisonment for non-compliance.
Holmes added, "Removal does not address the root of troubled families' problems. It may increase the risk of harm for the next child, not yet born." This underscores the urgency of proactive, trauma-informed approaches to break cycles and protect vulnerable children.
