Court criticises child protection agency after violence conviction of parents
Norwegian court of appeal convicted parents of serious assault on a child, but simultaneously issued harsh criticism of the child protection agency's interview methods.
Court criticises child protection agency after violence conviction of parents
The parents of Shada and her two brothers were sentenced to prison in 2016 for serious assault by Gulating court of appeal. At the same time, the judges levelled sharp criticism at the way the child protection agency had spoken to the then 11-year-old girl.
According to VG, Shada was brought into a classroom at her school by child protection agency employees. There she was questioned about conditions at home.
The judges found that the conversation had been conducted in a highly questionable manner. The child protection agency had operated with the assumption that they already knew the father was beating the children, and had asked leading questions to have this claim confirmed, as emerged from the ruling.
Nevertheless, the court placed full weight on Shada's account to police in a later interview. Here she had given a detailed description of almost daily abuse, in which the father was said to have hit her in the head, back and stomach. Shada had also stated that the mother hit and threw objects at the children.
The court concluded that the police interview had been conducted correctly and in accordance with regulations, and that there were no signs that the child protection agency's conversation had influenced the girl's account. Shada and her brothers were described as calm and matter-of-fact during the interview.
Before the violence conviction, concerns about the family had been reported over several years. Neighbours had heard children screaming from the flat at night, and educators had observed bruising on Shada on several occasions.
Kinn municipality, which today is responsible for child protection services in the area, has acknowledged the criticism to VG. They state that the working method from 2016, the so-called Klemetsrud model, is now only used in special cases.
Source: Google News DK — Crime (da)