ITV probes Irish baby home scandal

RTÉ will air The Missing Children as a documentary film

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has commissioned a documentary about the mother and baby home scandal in Ireland.

The Missing Children (working title) comes from factual indie True Vision and London-based prodco Nevision, in association with First Look Media’s North American streaming service Topic.

Irish pubcaster RTÉ is coproducing the project, which it will air as a feature doc, although it will be available in multiple formats including a 3×45’ series. Abacus Media Rights will handle global distribution.

The Missing Children will explore the investigation into Ireland’s mother and baby homes, institutions where unwed women were sent to deliver their babies.

The enquiry has been ongoing since 2014 when it was discovered that the bodies of almost 800 babies and children were interred in an unmarked mass grave in the Bon Secours Mother & Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway.

The final report, issued earlier this month, detailed that around 9,000 children had died in 18 mother and baby homes across Ireland between 1922 and 1998.

Focusing on the Bon Secours Mother & Baby Home, The Missing Children will tell the stories of survivors and families uncovering the truth. True Vision and Nevision have been following the unfolding of events over the past two years.

The Missing Children is directed by Tanya Stephan and produced by True Vision’s founder Brian Woods and Nevision’s creative director of factual Anne Morrison. Exec producing for Topic are general manager Ryan Chanatry and VP of development and video programming Gena Konstantinakos.

Tom Giles, ITV controller of current affairs, said: “With unrivalled access to those closest to the investigation into Tuam, one of the homes at the heart of this scandal, this film promises to provide an unflinching and vital account of what went on, who was responsible and how the impact is still being felt on lives today.”