Save our children and families from Child Protection in Norway

The site is set up to help stop the human rights abuses against families and children in Norway performed by the authorities. Just under 60.000 children are born in Norway every year. Child Protection opens approx. 25.000 cases of "investigations" a year, referring to the Child Protection Act of 1999, paragraph 4-3, "The right and duty to conduct investigations". Just now as you are reading this a new case has been opened. After giving birth to two children it is more probable than not that a parent has been contacted by Child Protection. We are a group of individual volunteers from all over Norway and abroad that wish to stop the current misuse of a public authority that should provide a service, being used for other more sinister purposes. As Child Protection acts today they are everything but a service to the people. They are responsible for monitoring and terrorising the population and base their activities on informants that will take a child away from their parents if they for some reason are different or voice democratic opinions. Child Protection is a danger to democracy and gives the population no judicial rights at all. The human rights and freedoms of children and parents are being gravely violated and Norway  is showing no willingness to abide by judgements from the Court of Human Rights or criticism from the UN. They are not abiding by the Hauge Convention of 1980 either. A number of groups all over Norway are working intensely to change this and bring attention to the growing number of children abducted by Child Protection. In addition they are breaking the Civil Service Act, the Health Act and the Constitution. 95% of all cases brought before the County Council Boards are cases applying paragraph 4-12, forced long-term placements in foster homes or institutions. Of 10.054 Child Protection cases in 2005, only 276 cases were reported by Nurseries, according to the Central Agency of Statistics. In 2007 11.700 children were taken into care, this is a 13% iincrease since 2006 when 7.710 children were taken into care (VG 18.09.08) In numbers this is approximately 500 more children than in 2006 (Norlys 18.09.2008) According to Dr. Juris Trude Haugli, Child Protection are permitted to do so in 95% of the cases. Foster care placements is increasing by approximately 300-400 children a year, and thereby places Norway as number one globally in the practice of forced placements of children away from their family. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,  article 9 "The parties shall ensure that children are not separated from their parents against their will...", article 16 states "...the child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or such attacks". Article 18 of the Convention  states, "The parties shall strive towards ensuring.. that.. the parents have the responsibility for the child's upbringing  and development"

Admin/ Edited and translated by: Nancy Ellen Crow 

1. The County Council Boards are Civil Service Boards and should abide by the Civil Service Act.
2. The Child Protection Services are a service that is obliged to follow the Civil Service Act. If a client is dissatisfied with the services Child Protection offer, they can complain to the County Council Boards in accordance with the Civil Service Act.
3. The Child Protection Services are obliged to assess their clients needs in accordance with the Child Protection Act of 1999 and instigate appropriate measures to assist them, using the aid of other professions such as health professionals  and behavioural therapists.
4. When a client appeals a decision made by the Child Protection Services to the County Council Board, they do not need to be represented by a solicitor or lawyer as they are not a court of law.
5. If a decision is made to take a child into care by the Child Protection Services they are by law required to apply for a court order at the local Magistrates court in accordance with the Child Protection Act of 1999, paragraph 4-12 and the Law on Enforcement paragraph 5-2.
6. The presiding judge is obliged to accompany the Child Protection Services to the abode of the child to assess whether enforcement shall be proceeded with.
7. In a case of taking a child into care, the case should be heard by the Magistrates Court within 48 hours. The police cannot assist the Child Protection Services with this without a court order from the Magistrates court, according to the Law on Enforcement paragraph 5-2. The Child Protection Act of 1999, paragraph 4-6 enables Child Protection to issue an "Emergency Care Order".
8. If a court order taking a child into care is upheld by the judge after a fair trial in accordance with article 6 of the Human Rights Act, prosecution of the parents on any criminal charges against the children should be instigated by the State prosecution.
9. If the child is taken into care due to the fact that the parents are dead or otherwise unable to care for the child due to severe illness, a case will have to be lodged at the Wardship Court who lawfully decide weather the State is to take over guardianship of the child. If the child becomes a State Ward, any assets such as maintenance, child benefit or inheritance are to be secured into an account by them and held in trust until the parent is able to resume guardianship or if the parent/parents are dead, until the child comes of age. A member of the child's family may also apply for guardianship and be appointed as guardian.
10. When a case using paragraph 4-12 has been appealed  to the Magistrates Court and Assize Court, the case can be brought before the County Council Board in accordance with paragraph 7-24 in the Child Protection Act and paragraph 4-21 within two years of the initial County Council Board decision.
11. The Norwegian Constitutions paragraph 110c states the following"The authorities have a constitutional duty to respect and ensure that human rights are safeguarded through any case-proceedings at all levels of the Civil Service, within the State, County, Council, Boards and in Court". The Human Rights Convention was incorporated in the Norwegian Constitution in 1999 and 2003.
12. Placements of children should be within one hours travelling distance of the parents abode.
13. Travel costs for parents that have access should always be covered by Child Protection Services. If not, complaints can be lodged to the County Man..The County Man has the duty to supervise the activities of Child Protection and the County Council Boards and complaints can be made to them regarding any critical issues or decisions made by these authorities. They are obliged to point out any illegal activities that the Council is practicing and abide by the County Man's decision.
14. All children of foreigners without a work-permit, premission of residency or asylum/humanitarian rights of residency should have a premission of residency to stay in the country, even if they are held by child protecion. If not - the parents can apply for a order from the police or UDI to have the child sent out of the country within 7 days.
15. According to a clarification of the regulation on telephone contact after a Care order has been made, Child Protection and fosterparents cannot limit telephone conversations between children and parents without a decision on limitations made by the County Council Boards or a Court of law in accordance with the Child Protecion Act paragraph 4-19. This is subject to two High Court rulings in 2007.
16. On the 27.11.2008 The Convention on the Adoption of Children was signed by Norway (CETS 202). New provisions included in the Convention are: - The father's consent is required in all cases, even when the child was born out of wedlock. - The child's consent is necessary if the child has sufficient understanding to give it. - It extends to heterosexual unmarried couples who have entered into a registered partnership in States which recognise that instituion. It also leaves States free to extend adoptions to homosexual couples and same sex-couples living together in a stable relationship. - The minimum age of the adopter must be between 18 and 30, and the age differences between adopter and child should preferably be at least 16 years.

1. Child Protection remove children from their parents without a court order from a magistrates court.
2. Police assist Child Protection in doing this without a court order. Police also assist in monitoring access without a court order from a judge.
3. Children's assets such as Child Benefit, Maintenance and belongings are impounded by the State without guardianship being removed from the parents at the Wardship Court. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified by Norway on the 8th of January 1991, page 26, article 76, states that all children must have a legal guardian.
4. Report writing at meetings and when access is permitted between parents and children are called "referendums" According to the Civil Service Act a referendum should be signed and the content verified as a correct summary of events by all parties present at the "meetings". The referendums are only signed by Child Protection.
5. As long as the parents have legal guardianship Child Protection and Foster carers are according to the Health Act obliged to seek permission from the parents to give the children medical care and dental care. Child Protection decides on any treatment they feel fit, such as f.ex Ritalin medication of the children. They also deny parents to chose treatment for certain ailments their children have.
6. Children are alienated from their cultural, religious, ethnic and personal circumstances and forced to adapt to the values of the Foster carers.
7. Children are not returned to their parents even if they are capable of caring for them in accordance with the Hauge Convention of 1980.
8. Children are also being abused in the State institutions and foster-homes where they are placed.
9. Children who are abused by parents are left with them and are given no assistance from Child Protection as they feel it is better not to prosecute the parents for criminal offences.
10. Child Protection are thereby participating in abuse of children and the facts of real abuse and crime are hidden from the public and International scrutiny and is not documented by the State.
11. The County Council Boards are overruling any Magistrates Court judgements and Assize Court judgements regarding access and whom should have the daily care of the child.
12. Concluding observations from the UN Committee on the 21.09.2005 state concern for the number of children in Norway deprived of their home environment.
13. Concluding observations from the UN Committee on the 21.09.2005 state concern for the lack of supervision and periodic review of placements in institutions and foster homes in Norway. They also criticise the lack of qualified supervisors of the children in placements.
14. Page 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, paragraph 82 sates that children should be given the opportunity to speak on their own behalf if they so wish. The County Council Boards do not let children be heard and ignore the wishes of the children who wish to be reunited with their parents or see them more often. The Boards and Child Protection are therefore not acting "in the best interest of the child".
15. The authorities are breaking the Constitution's paragraph 110c.
16. In the case "Adele Johansen vs. Norway" Strasbourg 1996, the European Court of Human Rights stated that there had been a violation of article 8 and 6 of the Human Rights Convention. The mother has still not regained custody of her child and is living in Denmark with her 3 other children. This is a violation of article 46 of the Human Rights Convention. "Article 46 Binding force and execution of judgements.  1. The High Contracting Parties undertake to abide by the final judgement of the Court in any case to which they are parties. 2. The final judgement of the Court shall be transmitted to the Committee of Ministers, which shall supervise its execution." 11 years have passed without the judgement being executed.
17. Children are placed up to 6 hours or more away from their parents or even further, in a different country from their parents.
18. Travel costs are not always awarded, thereby making it financially impossible for parents to have access to their children.
19. Article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that disabled children have the right to extra protection and special care. "Children with psychological or physical disabilities, should have a full and decent life under conditions that ensure dignity, promote independence and contribute to the children's active participation in society. 2 ... children with disabilities have a right to special care, ensuring that the carers get the help they have applied for and is reasonable given the child's condition and the parents situation. 3. As it is recognized that disabled children have special needs, the help that is given shall be given free of charge. The help shall be given in such a way that children have effective access to and receive tutoring. education, health services, rehabilitation services, preparation for working life and access to leisure facilities in a way that in the best possible way promotes the child's social integration and personal growth, including it's cultural and spiritual development" As parents who ask for this kind of help in accordance with paragraph 4-4 of the Child Protection Act of 1999, are being denied this help and often have their child taken into care if they request such a service, there is a violation of article 23 of the UN Convention in addition to paragraph 4-4 of the Child Protection Act of 1999. Article 23 also states "The family is the natural and fundamental social unit, and have a right to protection by society and the State".
20. Amendments in the Child Protection Act 1999 on the 01.01.06 and 01.01.07 have limited the right to free legal costs in Child Protection cases. There is now a set price per case in opposition to hourly rates in criminal cases. Cases of return of the child in accordance with the Child Protection Act 1999, paragraph 4-21 cannot be brought before the Board until two years have passed.
21. Access has in most cases been reduced to a couple of hours 0-6 times a year (paragraph 4-19 in the Child Protection Act)
22. Article 17 in the UN Convention on civil and political rights states "No one must randomly be subject to illegal interference in their private or family life, home or correspondence. Any one has a right to protection in accordance with the law against interference or attack." Mail and presents to the children are opened and sometimes denied them if found "inappropriate" by Child Protection. Such as letters from Amnesty International.
23. Foster carers receive 2000£ a month to foster a child. The biological parents are rarely given any support apart from housing benefit and if they are lucky a free place in a council Nursery so that they can go to work.
24. Child Protection engage certain "so called" psychologists and psychiatrists to evaluate some parents "mental health" and then pronounce them "mentally unfit" to be parents. A vast majority of these assessors do not abide by the DSM criteria when they pronounce their "diagnoses" and their assessments do not meet the required quality for such assessments. The assessors are paid by Child Protection to declare a parent unfit to be a parent.
25. There is a misuse of paragraph 6-2 in the Social Services Act enabling Child Protection to receive confidential information from any source they wish to. The Registered Nurses Act, paragraph 11 clearly states that information should only be given to Child Protection with the consent of the client, as long as there is not a grave danger to an unborn child due to the mother's substance abuse during pregnancy, or if there is reason to believe that a child is being abused or suffering from severe neglect. The duty of confidentiality is being violated not only by nurses, but also by other professionals giving Child Protection, practically any information they request. 
26. Women who are abused by partners or husbands also have their children removed, or are threatened with Child Protection if they do not obey the abuser.
27. Women are sexually discriminated against by state officials, that use inappropriate derogatory terms about them to their face and in front of their children. The techniques of undermining the self confidence of the parent also include denying that things have been stated in their presence and stating that it is "all in their mind". It is recommended at all times for parent/parents to bring a witness of choice with them to meetings or bring along a tape-recorder.
28. The dwellings of the family and child/children that Child Protection intend to take, are often paid unauthorised "visits" by Child Protection. During these visits they remove items like Nursing Theses or place things on the premises. In addition they can also tear up things like photos and books. Some victims also come home to fires or cookers turned on.
29. Due to the lack of legislation being applied, lawyers and solicitors use Child Protection cases as a steady income, misguided and misleading as their advice is in many cases.
30. Parents are also abused by Child Protection in various ways ranging from psychological methods to physical ones, especially after taking a child away. Handcuffing, wrongful arrest and disfigurement do also occur.
31. Psychological methods are used to brainwash the children, including inducing psychosis and false memories. The children are also suffering from the Patricia Hearst-syndrom, a syndrome where the children in the end identfy with their kidnappers and join them.
32. Thelepone conversations between parents and children are prohibited and montiored by the Fosterparents and Child Protection without a decsision or court ruling.

There are a number of individual groups working all over Norway to stop the unlawful practices performed by Child Protection. Each individual group is responsible for their own actions, and independent of the others. In 2007, Gerd June Kjenner and Inger Djmel instigated The Collective Lawsuit against the state. Gerd June Kjenner is the spokesperson for this lawsuit. The reason for this was her own experiences with Child Protection's unlawful activities and the response she got from other people telling her about their experiences. Nancy Crow decided to join the group in 2008 to assist bringing the authorities to justiice. The lawyer currently undertaking to represent the lawsuit on a partly non-profit basis is Lawyer Knut Mannsaaker of the Lawfirm Flatebo, Mannsaaker & Co, Bergen.