The Ombudsman has published a summary statement for the investigation of three complaints about the informal removal of child by the Department for Child Protection.
The Ombudsman has finalised three investigations about the Department for Child Protection informally removing and withholding children from their respective mother’s care. Although the department was responding to serious concerns for the children’s safety and wellbeing, the Ombudsman concluded that by effecting a change in the children’s care arrangements without genuine agreement from their mothers or the use of formal powers of removal, the department had acted in error.
Four themes of concern were identified across the investigations. The department accepted the themes identified by the Ombudsman and outline the steps it would take to strengthen its practices and prevent recurrence.
