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Last broadcast on Thu, 14 Oct 2010, 02:00 on BBC One (Scotland only) (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Since the case of Baby P, there has been a 40% increase in the number of children taken into care by the state. There are now 70,000 children being 'looked after' in the system. What happens to them? Can the system offer them a better life?
Panorama follows children in the care of Coventry Social Services for six months to find out if the state can be a real parent - even though children in care are more at risk of failing school and committing crime than any other group.
Narrated by Samantha Morton, who herself grew up in care.
The Big Society's big challenge: Kids in care
Panorama gained rare access to tell the stories of children taken into care in Coventry and examines the challenge they present to society.
Boy in care - 18 homes and counting
In care since the age of three and placed in five care homes and 13 foster homes in the Coventry area, 14-year-old Conner is typical of many of the 70,000 children being looked after in the care system in the UK.
Here we see him arrive at his latest care home - the Grange - a home for teenagers unable to stay with foster families.
Conor, 3, fears leaving foster family
In Coventry, the foster family of three-year-old Conor struggle daily with the impact that frequent moves and failed adoptions have had on the toddler.
His foster mum, Seraina Wincott wrestles with the dilemma of whether it is even fair she should love a little boy who will one day leave her temporary care.
Kids in Care - useful websites
If you or anyone you know is affected by the issues raised in Kids in Care: A Panorama Special, here is a list of agencies, charities and organisations available to help.
Kids in Care - Join in the debate
Panorama 2000 to 2008
If you'd like to know more about Panorama programmes dating between 2000 - 2008, including features, transcripts, video content and more, please click on the link below.
Archive 1962: Kids in Care
A lack of foster families and adoptive parents led to a crisis for children taken into care in the early 1960s. Panorama's John Morgan visited a children's home in south London to look at the scale of the problem.
This is an abridged version of Panorama: Children in Care which was originally broadcast on 18 June 1962.
Credits
- Narrator
- Samantha Morton
- Producer
- Simon Gilchrist
- Executive Producer
- Roger Graef
Broadcasts
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Tue 5 Oct 201021:00
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Tue 5 Oct 201022:35
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Thu 14 Oct 201001:05
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Thu 14 Oct 201002:00
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