news recently told how “Sara” and “Amir” have been trying to reunite their family for four years. Although the court has ruled that both sons must return home, only one of the children has returned. – I have lost hope. Trust. Everything, says mother “Sara” about the process. Now a new supervision case is being opened against the municipality. It will be the third in a row in the same child protection case. This time it is about the home municipality having continued to interfere in the case of “Sara” and “Amir” after another municipality had taken over responsibility, according to a complaint to the state administrator. And it started with an news interview. news case triggered questions about guardianship After interviewing “Sara” and “Amir” this summer, news asked the municipality to be interviewed. In order that the obligation of confidentiality would not prevent the municipality from speaking out, the parents signed a letter in which they lifted the obligation of confidentiality. The municipality did not wish to be interviewed. At the same time, they were “in strong doubt as to whether parents and children have overlapping interests”, and whether other than the parents should instead have the right to revoke the confidentiality obligation. Therefore, they asked the state administrator to assess the need for a temporary guardian. At this point, the state administrator had already given another municipality responsibility for the child welfare case. The complainant, who is a lawyer for one of the parents, believes that “Sara” and “Amir’s” home municipality have thus interfered in a matter they should no longer have anything to do with. “In view of the seriousness of the stated conditions, the State Administrator has considered it most appropriate to treat this as a supervisory matter”, writes the State Administrator in the decision. Accusations of financial motive The state administrator is asking the municipality to explain several alleged attempts to influence a case for which they have now been relieved of responsibility. According to the complaint, there must have been, among other things, attempts to place restrictions on the measures put in place to help the boy. This will be about both what aid measures will cost and about professional assessments. The municipality has been given until 1 November to explain itself. Has received sharp criticism in the past Also twice in the past, the State Administrator has overseen child welfare in “Sara” and “Amir’s” case. Both times an offense has been proven. The criticism has been sharp. “Our assessment is that municipality X has only to a limited extent been able to see the offenses or shortcomings in its own case management”, wrote the State Administrator in 2022. The following year, offenses were again shown in a new supervisory case. Then came the district court with even stronger criticism: Child welfare has created the problems in the family, not the parents, it was revealed in the final judgment. The family moved to a new house to give both brothers their own room before the summer. But it did not turn out as they had hoped and believed. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news Toppe: – Failure should and must lead to learning Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe says it is good and important that the state administrator follows up the municipality further. news has asked whether the minister will put any power behind the statement that the case arouses her concern. Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp). Photo: NTB – Supervision is the tool we have to uncover bad practice and ensure the legal security of both children and parents. I am very concerned that failures that are discovered in child protection should and must lead to learning. That is also the point of supervision, says Toppe, who also states that the government is working on measures to ensure that mistakes lead to learning at system level. Child Protection has not responded to questions about the criticism that came out about violations of the law and shortcomings in previous inspections, but has emphasized that they strive to fulfill the responsibilities they have under the Child Protection Act. They do that now too. – The municipality is learning that supervision helps to strengthen the quality of the child welfare service, the municipality’s lawyer Anette Olsen emphasizes in an e-mail to news. She says the municipality does not comment on ongoing inspection cases. Published 23.10.2024, at 05.54
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