Call it an 'emergency removal.' There are seizures of children from parents without prior notification to parents. It happens - more times than any of us would deem reasonable. The Child, Family and Community Services Act and therefore the courts denote that only imminent danger to a child's health or to the child's life is a justification for the removal of the child without notice to parents or prior hearing. The Act (CFCSA) also stipulates the need for a prompt post removal hearing when a child is removed. In British Columbia, as in other provinces of Canada, we have a record of numerous oversights, violations or delays over the years in British Columbia. Frequently, there are removals of children 'on an emergency basis.' This may be effected unilaterally by the Ministry of Children without a court order. It may be done on the basis of an ex parte judicial authorization. The number of emergency removals has increased over the past twenty years, almost doubling. This in turn has expanded the population of children in foster care, leading to the judgment of many that the child welfare system is in crisis.
I have written on the blog that I would have started off much the same as the director in the B.Case. A pediatrician declared that the baby in hospital with brain damage had been shaken and the injury was deliberate. The director removed the children, but placed them with maternal grandparents with generous access to the parents. The baby was safe enough in hospital. From then on I would have done things totally differently. To start with a history and study of the parents would yield a profile which made it very unlikely that they would hurt a child. I would contact the family doctor who knew them well and was certain that they only gave the best of care to their children. More seeds of doubt. The parents diligently researched shaken baby hypothesis and found a number of specialists who offered free help in disputing the allegations. The parents sent all the medical data to them from all the tests and assessments and all the hospital records. Soon specialist after specialist sent reports completely disagreeing with the pediatrician and skillfully discrediting the whole shaken baby hypothesis. At that point I would have realized that I could not break up a family just on the strength of one unreliable piece of opinion evidence and I would have withdrawn the complaint. Just good professional and responsible social work. On another topic. An older woman approached me downtown last week. She wanted me to sign a petition urging the Chinese government to stop persecuting the religious group called Falung Gong or something similar. I asked her if she seriously thought that the Chinese government would pay the slightest heed to advice from the Canadian government on matters of human rights. Besides I told her, the Canadian government is in no position to lecture anybody when we allow such huge inequality of incomes in our country and when so many children must grow up in poverty and we have so many homeless people. She protested, saying that at least we do not torture people. I told her that we torture hundreds of people mostly women and children. Our child protection services impose severe mental and emotional torture on many people and it can go on for years.
ReplyDeleteBingo. You have hit the sweet spot Ray. [re. torture of Women & Children, and don't forget the authentic diligent Men ]
ReplyDeleteNow others, listen up, line up and pass it on. Start the grassroots movement using what you can.. make this known about the Breakup&Torture programs grinding down good family members.