Image for illustrative purposes only.

The case of Baby S is one we're able to share because the outcome — a mother and child who stayed together — is one worth talking about. Not to overstate what was achieved, but because it's an honest account of what happens when specialist support arrives quickly, integrates well, and stays the course. 

The referral 

The call came from a London-based safeguarding team. Baby S's mother was experiencing acute psychosis and had been assessed as a significant risk to both herself and her unborn child. The situation was urgent. 

Within one hour of receiving the referral, a Newcross support worker was on-site in the hospital. The immediate priority was 1:1 supervision and emotional reassurance — keeping the mother settled and engaged with clinical staff, so that the wider ward team could continue operating without additional demand on their resource. 

Building trust in a difficult environment 

The early days of any mother and baby placement are critical. A mother in crisis, in an unfamiliar inpatient setting, surrounded by professionals with statutory authority over her child's future, is not automatically going to engage with a new support worker. Trust has to be built — carefully, consistently, without shortcuts. 

Our team took the time. They were present without being intrusive. Consistent without being rigid. And that consistency, over time, became the foundation for everything that followed. 

Following the birth 

After Baby S was born, our involvement evolved. We moved from crisis support into something more structured — working alongside the perinatal mental health team, paediatrics, and social services to promote safe bonding and monitor risk in real time. 

At that stage, the expectation within the safeguarding plan was that Baby S would need to be placed into foster care. That was the plan on the table.

It changed. 

The transition home 

As Baby S's mother made progress — engaging with her care plan, stabilising, beginning to demonstrate parenting capacity — the plan shifted. Our support transitioned into the community: six weeks of intensive care at home, maintaining safety, supporting the mother's routine, and providing the ongoing assessment data that the wider MDT needed to make informed decisions. 

That transition could have been the point where things unravelled. Instead, it held. The consistency of the team, the continuity of relationship, and the quality of documentation meant that nothing was lost between settings. 

What followed 

Baby S's mother now has an established routine. She is actively engaged in her care plan. She is parenting her child. These are outcomes that, at the point of referral, had felt unachievable. 

We're not suggesting that every case ends this way. Safeguarding is complex, and outcomes depend on many factors beyond any single provider's input. But this case demonstrates what is possible when specialist support is available, responsive, and properly integrated. 

For commissioners and ICBs 

If you're responsible for commissioning mother and baby safeguarding support, we'd welcome the chance to talk through how we work and what we can offer your team. 

📞 0330 054 1110 
📧 referrals@newcrosshealthcare.com 
newcrosshealthcare.com/care-at-home/mother-and-baby