The film's screenplay was based on Jaqueline Wilson's 2001 novel Dustbin Baby, and was written by Helen Blakeman, who had previously worked on Pleasureland.
Dustbin Baby was co-commissioned by CBBC and BBC One, and was produced by Kindle Entertainment, a production company specialising in children's television.
According to The Guardian, the film was billed as "a key part of BBC1's Christmas family line-up".
Blakeman said that when she had read the novel, she "knew it was something [she] had to write".
The film's executive producers were Anne Brogan and Melanie Stokes for Kindle, with Sue Nott as executive producer for CBBC.
The producer was Julia Ouston.
Director Juliet May, at the time of filming, had 14-year-old twins, and so found "the fact that the lead, April, is 14 years old ... very interesting" as she felt she could "kind of understand 14-year-old children".

Though the "gritty realism" of Wilson's novels was different from Dakota Blue Richards's first role as Lyra Belacqua in The Golden Compass, she was happy to take on the character of April.
She said she "can really relate to the characters" in Wilson's novels, but found that April was "a really different person" to her.
Wilson, who had previously seen Richards in The Golden Compass, was "over the moon to hear she was going to be in Dustbin Baby.
Richards was to play the 14-year-old April, but other actresses were required to play younger versions of the character.
Lucy Hutchinson, who was five at the time of filming, played the youngest April.
Director Juliet May described her as "one of the most remarkable five year olds I have ever met", saying that "it's like she's not acting at all".
Alex Hewett was selected to play the "middle April".
May described her as having "utter truth in her acting".
Though ten years old, Hewett plays April at eight.

Juliet Stevenson said she was attracted to the part of Marion as "it's very boring playing versions of yourself", and because she did at the time have a 14-year-old daughter.
David Haig filmed Dustbin Baby, along with three other television appearances that summer, to earn money to help support his family while he appeared in the play Loot.
He described his role as a "snug cameo with a purpose".
Dustbin Baby was filmed over summer 2008 in London and the surrounding areas, with scenes at Hatfield House and in Barnet.
Before the completion of the filming, Wilson was quoted as saying she was "thrilled at the prospect of Dustbin Baby being brought to life by such a talented cast and production team.
I am looking forward to seeing the end result immensely."

The BBC purposefully searched for an actress with Asperger syndrome to play the part of Poppy.
Lizzy Clark auditioned for the part after her mother saw an advert on an autism website.
Clark was selected to play Poppy, and the role in Dustbin Baby was her first experience of professional acting.
Clark was the first actress with Asperger syndrome to portray a fictional character with the condition.
Clark, who has since campaigned with her mother against characters with conditions such as Asperger syndrome being played by actors without the condition, said "My Asperger's made some things on the film set difficult at first, like dealing with the sudden noise of the storyboard, but I was soon so focused on acting that I didn't notice anything else."
The film's screenplay was based on Jaqueline Wilson's 2001 novel Dustbin Baby, and was written by Helen Blakeman, who had previously worked on Pleasureland. Dustbin Baby was co-commissioned by CBBC and BBC One, and was produced by Kindle Entertainment, a production company specialising in children's television. According to The Guardian, the film was billed as "a key part of BBC1's Christmas family line-up". Blakeman said that when she had read the novel, she "knew it was something [she] had to write". The film's executive producers were Anne Brogan and Melanie Stokes for Kindle, with Sue Nott as executive producer for CBBC. The producer was Julia Ouston. Director Juliet May, at the time of filming, had 14-year-old twins, and so found "the fact that the lead, April, is 14 years old ... very interesting" as she felt she could "kind of understand 14-year-old children".
Though the "gritty realism" of Wilson's novels was different from Dakota Blue Richards's first role as Lyra Belacqua in The Golden Compass, she was happy to take on the character of April. She said she "can really relate to the characters" in Wilson's novels, but found that April was "a really different person" to her. Wilson, who had previously seen Richards in The Golden Compass, was "over the moon to hear she was going to be in Dustbin Baby. Richards was to play the 14-year-old April, but other actresses were required to play younger versions of the character. Lucy Hutchinson, who was five at the time of filming, played the youngest April. Director Juliet May described her as "one of the most remarkable five year olds I have ever met", saying that "it's like she's not acting at all". Alex Hewett was selected to play the "middle April". May described her as having "utter truth in her acting". Though ten years old, Hewett plays April at eight.
Juliet Stevenson said she was attracted to the part of Marion as "it's very boring playing versions of yourself", and because she did at the time have a 14-year-old daughter. David Haig filmed Dustbin Baby, along with three other television appearances that summer, to earn money to help support his family while he appeared in the play Loot. He described his role as a "snug cameo with a purpose". Dustbin Baby was filmed over summer 2008 in London and the surrounding areas, with scenes at Hatfield House and in Barnet. Before the completion of the filming, Wilson was quoted as saying she was "thrilled at the prospect of Dustbin Baby being brought to life by such a talented cast and production team. I am looking forward to seeing the end result immensely."
The BBC purposefully searched for an actress with Asperger syndrome to play the part of Poppy. Lizzy Clark auditioned for the part after her mother saw an advert on an autism website. Clark was selected to play Poppy, and the role in Dustbin Baby was her first experience of professional acting. Clark was the first actress with Asperger syndrome to portray a fictional character with the condition. Clark, who has since campaigned with her mother against characters with conditions such as Asperger syndrome being played by actors without the condition, said "My Asperger's made some things on the film set difficult at first, like dealing with the sudden noise of the storyboard, but I was soon so focused on acting that I didn't notice anything else."
Dustbin Baby (film)