Home is Where the Hurt Is

BBC Scotland Investigates whether more children should be taken away from their families and into care. The documentary uncovers shocking evidence that children left with their families are doing worse than those taken into the system, and social workers report that increasing workloads mean vulnerable children are not being monitored. There is an assumption that family is the best place for a child. The system currently says children should only be taken away from their parents as an option of last resort. But in the programme, a leading academic says that this is as much a predjudice as a view based on evidence. The investigation looks into whether those children who are looked after by social work but remain at home do better or worse than those taken away into adoption, fostering or residential care. In a journey through the care system, reporter Samantha Poling finds the institutions which are turning around damaged children. She meets some of the children they have helped overcome terrible obstacles, and she hears from those in the community left to get on with it by understaffed social work departments. It is an emotional insight into what works - and what doesn't work - for the most damaged children in Scotland.