Child protection experts have called for trauma-informed support for parents whose children are taken into care, following a review into the death of baby Victoria Marten. The review, published by the child safeguarding practice review panel, said such support could help interrupt 'destructive cycles' and reduce the risk of harm to future babies.
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. The couple, jailed last September for 14 years, had fled authorities to prevent Victoria being taken into care, as four older siblings had been. The review noted that Victoria's birth was the last in a 'rapid series of pregnancies, births and removals into care' that had become a repeating pattern.
Sir David Holmes, chair of the panel, said: 'Whereas the death of baby Victoria wasn't predictable, her conception arguably was.' He added that better engagement with families where there are risks of children being removed could help interrupt repeating cycles of removal and subsequent births. The review highlighted that no single agency had responsibility for supporting parents after child removal, leaving them isolated and increasing risk to their children.
The review recommended national guidance on safeguarding babies, covering concealed pregnancy and pre-birth planning. It also called for registered sex offenders to be required to inform police of new partners or impending births, with failure punishable by imprisonment. According to Department for Education statistics, there were 5,360 under-ones subject to child protection plans in England as of 31 March 2025, including 1,430 unborn infants.
