beemail and hester this is exactly what happened to my DS. As I was fostering him at the time I saw what it did to him and how totally NONchild centered it all was.
It was horrendous and his development was severely delayed by the process.
His contacts were arranged to suit BM's wants (not needs). So they were set at 11.30 to give her time to get up and to contact centre (5 mins away). So DS would have to be ready to leave my house for 10.30 he would then be bought back around 4.30. This was from 8 weeks. He might be with up to 6 different people in one day, he would fall asleep with one and wake up with another.
I took him for the first 4 weeks but then had to go back to work. He was picked up by various workers. Sometimes they had a car but not ONCE did he have a car seat!
I got a childminder near my work because I worked near the contact centre and I wanted him to have a shorter journey with workers. This meant a 7 mile round walk for me a day but was better than him being passed around like a bloody parcel 4 times a week.
If bmum was late they would keep him there until she turned up.
Some contact workers were great. Some were criminally negligent. I found out one was taking DS to pick up her kids from school before bringing him home. She also kept him on a couple of occassions when bmum didnt turn up for contact 
. She also had her OH in the car with her several times.
I asked that the contacts could start at 9 - 30 so that DS would only be out for the mornings and could have all afternoon and evning/night at home.
Bmum refused because 'why should I miss my programmes at night so I have to get up early?'
SS also refused to allow contacts to take place nearer home to cut down on DS's travelling. Bmum didnt want to travel (15min tube journey).
DS had many medical appointments. I was expected to take him to these (fine). I would arrive after struggling on public transport with a newborn and huge pram (b.mums choice) to be met (late) by social worker and bmum who arrived by cab.
DS didnt roll over till he was 9mths old. He had suspected cerebral palsy because of his abnormal muscle tone. Once contacts were reduced his physical developement improved and he is now within normal ranges.
B.mum has many issues and limitations. But I think the system abused my son far more than she did. He was only with her for 8 weeks, the system had him for two years before we had PR.
To illustrate how little his needs were taken into account - his contact schedule was so frantic, there was NO time to take him to baby clinic. As he was removed due to neglect and was severely underweight I was concerned about this. How would SS know if his weight was due to neglect or a medical condition if he was never weighed?
I had to arrange for a HV to come to my house at 7.30am to weigh him.
Sorry for the essay. It is still something that causes me upset when i start thinking about it!