We are releasing our latest research based on 100 mothers (with 187 children) who have come to us for support in the last 2 years, 2024-2026. Our statistics continue to show children are being arbitrarily removed from their mothers, often with life-long devastating consequences.

• The overwhelming majority (94%) were single mothers (mostly on low incomes)
• At least 74% had reported domestic abuse, showing that once women leave a violent partner they are punished by a state system that shields the perpetrator rather than the mother and the children she is struggling to protect
• 34% were women of colour & 26% were immigrant women who faced racism as well as sexism
• 42% were disabled women and 39% had mental health issues – much of it caused or exacerbated by family court proceedings
• In addition we worked with domestic abuse victims whose children have been taken by perpetrator fathers (18%); those taken into foster care (30%) because social workers and family courts often prioritise (wrongly) taking the child out of the home over taking the abuser out; and domestic abuse victims whose children have been forcibly adopted (14%) (same wrong reasoning applies).This shocking figure gives lie to the idea that forced adoptions are historic, they are in fact a present-day policy of punishment and social cleansing

It’s clear from our research that women’s low incomes, our need for support to escape violent men and/or deal with a disability, including mental health issues caused by abusive fathers and an abusive family court system – all are used to accuse mothers of “neglect” or causing “emotional harm” and remove our children.  It reflects the harsh reality of increasing state intrusion into family life (particularly low-income families headed by women), the devaluing of the crucial bond between mother and child, and the undue influence of the male supremacist fathers’ lobby.

We are part of the movement of mothers and campaigners which is growing on both sides of the Atlantic, determined to end arbitrary separations, state sanctioned child abuse, and to get the financial and other support we need to care for and protect our children.