Baby must remain in foster care

An 18-year-old mother, whose baby was taken into local authority care hours after he was born, has had her appeal to get him back turned down.

The child was taken from his mother by social workers in Nottingham on 30 January, but returned after a judge ruled officials had no right.

The baby went back into care following a further hearing on 1 February.

The Appeal Court has now turned down the mother's appeal against an interim order separating her from the baby.

'Troubled childhood'

Lord Justice Wall and Lord Justice Ward said the case should now be examined by a specialist mother-and-baby unit in London, pending a full High Court hearing on February 18.

The baby known only as "G" will remain in foster care until a decision on his future is made at that hearing.

In the meantime, the mother has been allowed to see her son for three hours a day, five days a week.

The boy was born healthy and taken from his mother about two hours after his birth without an order having been made.

Hospital staff were apparently shown a "birth plan" prepared by local authority social services.

The plan said the mother, who had a troubled childhood and suffered from mental health problems, was to be separated from the child, and no contact allowed without supervision by social workers.