Abandoned babies generate enormous interest but very little academic or systematic study. The psychological state of their mothers and consideration of their fathers is not studied and access to these groups are restricted or unavailable. This pilot study grapples with the concepts of abandonment, looks at patterns over time via noti able criminal record data and explores systematic factors by way of newspaper report analysis. The discourse around abandonment is emotive. More boys are abandoned than girls. Newborn abandonments differ from older babies in that parents are rarely identi ed and society judges them with sympathy. Finders are emotionally moved, but rarely included in ongoing policy. Some pointers for future policy are drawn.

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