Support Not Separation is publishing new research today, July 15th, based on our casework with over 200 mothers of over 400 children, showing that children are being arbitrarily removed, especially from mothers who report fathers’ domestic violence and child abuse, and that forced adoptions are not a thing of the past.
HIGHLIGHTS ·
The overwhelming majority (94%) were single mothers (mostly on low incomes). ·
At least 76% of these had reported domestic violence (up from 71% in 2017). ·
Nearly all were fighting over contact with their children. They were trying to stop violent fathers having unsafe unsupervised contact, or trying to re-establish contact with children who had been given to the father, or were in foster care or forcibly adopted. ·
Over half the mothers had had their children taken from them (a significant increase from 2017). In 30% of cases the children were living with the abusive father; 14% had children in foster care. ·
10% had children adopted without their consent. ·
44% were women of colour and/or immigrant women who faced both sexism and racism:19% women of colour, 12% immigrant women of colour, 13% white immigrant. ·
44% of mothers had mental health issues, much of which was caused or exacerbated by family court proceedings often lasting many years. ·
19% had a physical disability and this was used against them.