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Born into care

Born into care refers to situations where a baby is removed from their parents’ care at birth or shortly after. These are often very sensitive and emotional experiences for everyone involved.

In Blackpool, we are working together to make sure families in these situations are treated with empathy, dignity, and respect and that their voices are heard throughout the process.

The co-production team plays a key role in this work, helping to shape services by bringing lived experience into the conversation. We believe that families and professionals working together can make difficult experiences more compassionate, informed, and supportive.

What co-production looks like in born into care

We work closely with parents, carers, and professionals to co-produce improvements in how services support families when a child is born into care. This includes:

  • Listening to the voices of parents with lived experience
  • Supporting professionals to reflect on practice and improve approaches
  • Creating resources and training together
  • Promoting trauma-informed, respectful ways of working

Projects we've been involved in

  • Born into care protocol development - We co-produced a new protocol for how services support parents when a baby is removed at birth. This includes clear steps, respectful communication, and joined-up working between services
  • Lived experience parent group - We supported the creation of a small group of parents with lived experience who now regularly advise on how to improve services and share their stories to inform better practice
  • Training for professionals - We have helped develop and deliver training to social workers, midwives, and health visitors ensuring real-life experiences shape how support is offered before, during, and after birth
  • Multi-agency workshops - We’ve facilitated cross-service learning sessions where professionals and parents come together to learn, reflect, and identify changes that could improve experiences
  • Feedback into local and national research - Blackpool's work has contributed to national learning around Born into Care, showing how co-production can lead to more humane and effective support

Why it matters

When a child is born into care, the way we communicate and support families can have a lasting impact. Co-production helps ensure:

  • Families are treated with empathy and understanding
  • Services are coordinated and transparent
  • Parents feel listened to even in the most difficult circumstances
  • Support is shaped by those who truly understand what it feels like

Understanding your family's journey - The MAP

As part of our work in the born into care programme, the co-production team has played a key role in co-designing a visual tool called understanding your family’s journey – The MAP.

The MAP was created to help families make sense of the often complex systems around social care and legal processes. It was co-produced by a group of professionals, parents, and carers including the Blackpool Co-production team who came together with the shared aim of making services easier to understand and navigate.

This project was developed in collaboration with:

  • Blackpool Council
  • Blackpool HDRC
  • Lancaster University
  • Blackpool Better Start
  • Local NHS services

The MAP was created in response to feedback from families who had been through the care system during pregnancy or birth. They told us they needed a clearer picture of what to expect and who could support them. The result is a practical, family-friendly guide that professionals can use alongside families to explain each step of the journey.

The initial design was developed through an intensive 8-week co-production process, led by the design team at Lancaster University. It has since been revised multiple times through internal and external feedback and will continue to be refined over time.

Download the MAP

Explore all areas of The MAP - Understanding your family's journey by downloading and printing the following materials:

Instructions for printing foldable map

  1. Print on A4 paper
  2. Print on both sides of the page
  3. Flip on the long edge
  4. Fold once in the middle to create an A5 booklet

Please note: The MAP is designed to be used with the support of a trusted professional who understands the contents. Introducing it to families should be done with care and consideration.

Your insights are important to us. If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback about the MAP, please submit them through our feedback form. Your input helps us improve and ensure the MAP meets the needs of families and professionals.

Submit your feedback

WAVES team

The WAVES Team works alongside Blackpool’s co‑production approach to help improve the way services support children, young people, and families. Their work is rooted in collaboration, lived experience, and trauma‑informed practice. Waves plays a key part in shaping more compassionate and effective support across the town.

Parent supporters

A central part of the WAVES Team is the parent supporter role. Parent supporters are parents with lived experience who use their insight to support other families going through difficult or complex situations. Their aim is to make sure families feel understood, informed, and respected throughout their journey.

Parent supporters help by:

  • Offering emotional support during stressful processes
  • Helping parents understand what to expect from meetings and decisions
  • Making sure parent voices are clearly heard by professionals
  • Sharing lived experience to improve practice and service design

This peer‑led support plays an important role in ensuring families feel included, valued, and better equipped to engage with services.