Child's Death Exposed Systemic Support Failures

A safeguarding review has highlighted systemic failures in support for parents following the removal of their children, suggesting this contributed to the death of baby Victoria. Professionals should have anticipated Victoria's conception earlier to better engage with her parents, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, according to the report. Victoria was the latest in a series of pregnancies, births, and removals into care, a pattern that had become devastatingly destructive.

Marten and Gordon were jailed for 14 years for Victoria's manslaughter after being found guilty of child cruelty, concealing the birth, and perverting the course of justice. They were accused of hiding Victoria's birth to prevent her removal and subsequently sleeping rough with her. Victoria died of hypothermia in a tent on the South Downs in January 2023.

The review emphasizes that interrupting cycles of harm requires focusing on parents as well as their infants. The lack of coordinated support left Marten and Gordon isolated, increasing risks to their children. While Victoria's death was unpredictable, her conception was arguably foreseeable, underscoring the need for ongoing parental support, even when cases are difficult to understand.

Experts noted the couple's persistent reluctance to engage with authorities, moving multiple times between 2017 and 2023 as safeguarding concerns escalated. No single agency held responsibility for supporting the couple through their loss and grief after their older children were removed. This successive removal of children may have reinforced their perception of harm from social care, making the concealment of Victoria seem subjectively rational.

Sir David Holmes, the panel chairman, stated that removing children, even with cause, only protects those children and does not address the root problem, potentially increasing the risk of harm to future children. Marten, cooperating with the review, described her dealings with social services as receiving ultimatums rather than assistance, feeling state powers were used coercively. She noted that late disclosure of pregnancies, driven by fear of child removal, can prevent parents from seeking timely medical care, causing further harm.

National guidance on safeguarding and child protection for babies is recommended, addressing vulnerable infants, concealed pregnancies, and pre-birth planning. Statistics show thousands of under-ones were subject to child protection plans in England, with a significant percentage of serious harm cases involving infants under one year old. Gordon did not participate in the review, while Marten shared her experiences directly.