Nursery World - Analysis: Adoption - Scheme offers smooth transition for babies

How do very young children who are removed from their parents cope with changes of carers? Karen Faux finds out about a new way to lessen the uncertainties for them.

In the wake of the Victoria Climbie case in 2000, greater numbers of children were taken into care, and now Baby P is expected to have a similar knock-on effect.

But while taking a child into care may sometimes be preferable to leaving it with its family, this is by no means an ideal solution. Studies highlight that children in care experience high incidences of mental ill-health and are susceptible to emotional and attachment issues - far more than those who are adopted, for example. Only 1 per cent of children from the care system reach university, compared with around 40 per cent who are adopted.

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