Protecting All Vulnerable Babies Better: Government Response to Safeguarding Review

Victoria Marten’s death was tragic and the direct result of the actions of her parents, who are now serving sentences for her negligent manslaughter. Victoria’s death prompted a wider national review and in February 2026, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published its national review, “Protecting all vulnerable babies better”. This examined the safeguarding issues raised by the death of Victoria and a further 41 serious cases of harm and death involving babies.

At the time of publication, I committed to providing a full Government response to the panel’s eight national recommendations by summer 2026. Today, I am laying before the House, “Protecting all vulnerable babies better: a Government response” which sets out how the Government are strengthening the protection of babies where there are safeguarding concerns, and responding to issues identified by the panel.

Babies are among the most vulnerable members of our society, reliant on their caregivers, fragile, unable to talk and often unknown to many services. The panel’s review reinforced the importance of earlier identification of risk, effective information sharing, professional curiosity, and sustained multi-agency engagement with families, particularly during pregnancy and the first years of life. It also highlighted the need for greater national consistency in safeguarding practice and stronger support for families where risks are complex and cumulative.

The Government’s response brings together action across adult and children’s social care, health, policing, justice, housing and wider public services. It builds on the most significant reform to children’s social care in a generation through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and delivers against this Government’s commitment to keep families together and children safe, to intervene earlier where children are at risk, and to strengthen child protection so that vulnerable children do not fall through the cracks.

Since the publication of the panel’s review, the appalling death of Preston Davey has been a further reminder that we can never be complacent in our efforts to protect babies. An independent local child safeguarding practice review is under way, and it would be inappropriate to pre-empt its findings. We will consider the findings carefully and incorporate any relevant lessons into the delivery of this response and wider safeguarding reforms.

The response is structured around four objectives:

Preventing babies dying by identifying and responding earlier to risk;

Reducing the number of babies entering care by preventing repeat removals and strengthening family support;

Building the evidence base on effective and promising practice; and