In a world of lies and self-interest, four women walk the tightrope of saving children at risk, and ripping innocent families apart. An intense social worker, a misfit cop, an inexperienced child psychiatrist and a disillusioned Probation Officer investigate the truth Behind Closed Doors..
6 x 60 returning Crime Drama series.**Semi-finalist in the BBC Writer's Room 2018**
6 x 60 returning Crime Drama series.**Semi-finalist in the BBC Writer's Room 2018**
A media storm rages as yet another baby is murdered after failed risk assessments of unstable parents, causing public outrage - even as voters decry Big Brother and Human Rights from a too-intrusive Nanny State. Public services struggle with budget cuts and staff shortages, exacerbating tensions between different jurisdictions, and at the heart of this ponderous bureaucracy: vulnerable children.
A Traveller family with 3 battered children’ and a truck-load of attitude arrive at a hospital. Calls are made, three strangers summoned; Alex, a jaded, brooding and secretive Social Worker. Eloise, overtly cheerful but a deeply insecure Child Protection officer. Shanaya, a newly trained Child Psychologist under pressure to stop public sector work and ‘earn some bloody money’.
The trio must see through lies and self-interest to identify if children are ‘at risk’. When the terrified family abscond, they have to navigate red tape and multiple jurisdictions – and of course the politics. Ultimately, they’re faced with a devastating choice - make the call to rip a family apart or risk another child-murder.
As they work the case, despite their different backgrounds and experiences, the girls are united in their goal to do their best for the children and form a formidable trio, under the default leadership of Alex. During the investigation, they are all forced to reappraise their own prejudices, surprised when they discover an ‘external’ aggressor for the children – kids in the neighbourhood around the Traveller camp, not the family. Their diligence diverts a media storm, keeps a family together, and identifies Young Offenders.
The team is disbanded, but then a Congolese child’s body is found floating in the Thames, ritually sacrificed, and fears are raised about refugee children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gossip-mill of black magic starts, accompanied by its cortege of racism and bigotry as the DRC community comes under scrutiny. Fresh off the back of their success, the trio are enlisted as ‘a unit’, and handed the political hot-potato.
The women once again concentrate their efforts on child protection. Another success and they become the de facto recipients of ‘the poison chalice’ of politically sensitive cases that span jurisdictions.
Alex, the loner who grew up ‘in care’. Eloise, an insecure underachiever from a family of cops who think women belong at home. Shanaya, a scholar, mother and pressured wife to an accountant who wants a bigger house and private education for their children.
The stakes could not be higher as the three women learn to work together as a team and trust each other. Buoyed by each success, saving a child’s life, keeping a family together, or reuniting family members, they dig to discover the truth of what lies Behind Closed Doors.
A Traveller family with 3 battered children’ and a truck-load of attitude arrive at a hospital. Calls are made, three strangers summoned; Alex, a jaded, brooding and secretive Social Worker. Eloise, overtly cheerful but a deeply insecure Child Protection officer. Shanaya, a newly trained Child Psychologist under pressure to stop public sector work and ‘earn some bloody money’.
The trio must see through lies and self-interest to identify if children are ‘at risk’. When the terrified family abscond, they have to navigate red tape and multiple jurisdictions – and of course the politics. Ultimately, they’re faced with a devastating choice - make the call to rip a family apart or risk another child-murder.
As they work the case, despite their different backgrounds and experiences, the girls are united in their goal to do their best for the children and form a formidable trio, under the default leadership of Alex. During the investigation, they are all forced to reappraise their own prejudices, surprised when they discover an ‘external’ aggressor for the children – kids in the neighbourhood around the Traveller camp, not the family. Their diligence diverts a media storm, keeps a family together, and identifies Young Offenders.
The team is disbanded, but then a Congolese child’s body is found floating in the Thames, ritually sacrificed, and fears are raised about refugee children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gossip-mill of black magic starts, accompanied by its cortege of racism and bigotry as the DRC community comes under scrutiny. Fresh off the back of their success, the trio are enlisted as ‘a unit’, and handed the political hot-potato.
The women once again concentrate their efforts on child protection. Another success and they become the de facto recipients of ‘the poison chalice’ of politically sensitive cases that span jurisdictions.
Alex, the loner who grew up ‘in care’. Eloise, an insecure underachiever from a family of cops who think women belong at home. Shanaya, a scholar, mother and pressured wife to an accountant who wants a bigger house and private education for their children.
The stakes could not be higher as the three women learn to work together as a team and trust each other. Buoyed by each success, saving a child’s life, keeping a family together, or reuniting family members, they dig to discover the truth of what lies Behind Closed Doors.
