Pointers for Practice: Child Protection and the Unborn Child

The lack of legal status for an unborn child means, if there are concerns about risk of harm once the child is born, that practitioners should try and engage with the parents and family pre-birth in a timely and meaningful manner. This means:

• early identification of possible concerns such as alcohol and drug misuse, domestic violence or abuse;
• working in partnership with the family and all practitioners in contact with them;
• an effective assessment;
• early intervention;
• time for parents to make changes during pregnancy and show they can care for the child when born;
• timely decision-making for early removal if insufficient change has been achieved.

For further information see:

Critchley A, (2018) Pre-birth child protection (Accessed 12/8/2019)

Lushey et al., (2018) Assessing parental capacity when there are concerns about an unborn child: pre-birth assessment guidance and practice in England. (2018) Child Abuse Review vol 27 pp97-107.

Regional Safeguarding Boards Protocols and Procedures.