Interesting memories from medical school came to mind as I was pondering the idea that Scandinavian societies developed a culture of calling the Child Protective Services for nearly any trivial matter.
I had the opportunity to work with many children during my medical education at UC San Francisco and my residency at UCLA. Some of my most difficult and rewarding cases involved children.
One of my first experiences in my surgery rotation was emotionally riveting. Somehow a parent got inside the trauma room at the San Francisco General Hospital ER while their 7-year-old daughter was being resuscitated after a major motor vehicle accident. Imagine the desperation from seeing your child hooked up to life support and the people around you thinking you have gone insane. Thankfully, the girl survived and made a full recovery.
Did we call CPS because the parents went crazy? No.
In another case that still gives me chills 12 years later, I saved a 5-year-old’s life when the tumor that the surgeon was resecting from her intestine secreted a substance called bradykinin into the blood stream which gave her an acute asthma-like attack. The following 45 min were some of the most intense of my career. There were brief periods when I could not move a single molecule of oxygen into the kid’s lungs. The renowned pediatric surgeon on the case had never seen anything like that in his 40 year career. She too recovered without sequelae.
Did anyone call CPS to assess whether the parents would be fit to care for this child after her surgery? No.
As a young student on the pediatric ward at SFGH I was assigned the case of a 18-month-old obese Samoan baby who was admitted to the hospital with RSV pneumonia. She spent two weeks in the hospital. I saw her everyday, and I made time to play with her. By the end of the two weeks she called me “da-da.” My team thought it was the most hilarious thing. Her parents were poor working class people who could not afford to take off work to stay with her in the hospital. In their mind the hospital was like a daycare facility with doctors. We rarely saw them at bedside.
Did we call CPS because they seemed involved? No.
In fact, have I ever seen a case (non-accidental injury excluded) which lead to CPS notification? No.
But there are places like Norway where calling the CPS for every little thing has become the norm. This is how we have the case of baby Aria who was confiscated immediately after birth under the pretext of preventative measures. Her parents never got the chance to actually be parents. Not even God punishes sin before sin is committed! But Barnevernet thinks it is above God and will not even allow parents to show they can be wonderful parents.
The baby seems unhappy? He does not have enough toys? Not enough eye contact with his parents? The parents are a bit radical in their Christianity? Other reasons (here). Let’s call CPS.
How did Norway get to be like this? How did it adopt a “snitch” culture with respect to CPS?
photo: San Francisco General Hospital (www.ucsf.edu)
Delight in Truth 
Reblogged this on Dumnezeu e în control.
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I agree to the considerations you do in your medical examples. We get some concerns from hospitals where a child has non-accidental injuries or the hospital don’t find the story behind the injury as the truth.
The Aria case is hard to follow out of the information given on the net, but as I have told you over and over – we have no security attached to the story given – is it the whole truth – almorst the whole truth – or a version that give us impressions and some truth – but not all. Seen from the outside I find it hard to understand that the CPS can hold the child back if the parents are cleared. I – myself – was older when I was adopted and have never had any attachment problems – but people differ – when I have been on seminars about attachment the teaching says that’s impossible.
I think the God part in every ublic service in a secular multicultural nation is a miss agrumentation. We act upon the Child Welfare Law.
I happen to know the story in more detail, having read some documents in the case.
It is the whole truth..
I found a master in Child Protection yesterday with the headling: “Assessments done of emergency cases in the child protection”.
The writer give us cases as she had answered a varied group of respondents. The green graphic show the % for those who considered the case not to be of interest for the CPS – the grey to be something they should consider more with the ?? before given a concern – the beige to be sent to immidiate investigation/ a serious concern, but not emergency and the red those who thought this was an emergency.
As you see the individuals differ. I for my part would have gone for investigation on all – no emergencies. As I have said before an emergency need the leaders and the legal advicers consent. A leader is more restrictive in the consideration than the casehandlers. You also find that the education might explain the difference. Sosionom og barnevernskurator are the two most freguent educations in the CPS. In some parts of Norway they also have other educations – like f.i.l kindergarden teacher – these others are more worried.
If Horne is awake now and follows the Naustdal case I hope she think that we have a job to do to be more collected in our assessments done in emergency cases – this master show that we differ to much and I think this give consequences families should be saved from.
Click to access Anita%20S%C3%A6ther%20Jensen%20-%20vurderinger%20av%20akutte%20saker%20i%20barnevernet.pdf
8 og 10 families given help measures are pleased with the service given from the CPS. It is the emergencies that give the parents involved often a negative impression of the involvement. I have met parents that in such cases that understand our important role in the society and are glad we react despite the circumstances the emergency give them in the moment. We have a job to do to be more collected in our emergency assessments. The common Norwegian have no more fear for the CPS than you have in California.
Knut, I ask you; What do you say to the fact that barnevernet takes away babies from their mothers just a couple of hours after they are born. The mothers haven`t even had the chance to do something wrong against their child. Isn`t this quite discriminating?
Thank you for sharing, Delight. Great memories!
“I think the God part in every ublic service in a secular multicultural nation is a miss agrumentation. We act upon the Child Welfare Law.”
I continue to be amazed at how deep the Magma Monster’s hole is getting.
The phrase “…help measures”(?) is mentioned again from the State agent of the Democratic People’s Republic of Norway. I challenge “Knut” to show *any* testimonies from the “8 of 10 families given help measures (who) are pleased with the service given from the CPS”.
Such complete and utter LIES. (Mind you, what do you expect from an agent of this communist State? The only difference between Norway and North Korea is that the former doesn’t starve its people).
The “common Norwegian” is waking up to the reality of your State sponsored kidnappings, “Knut”.
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A Christian American online newspaper characterized the Norwegian governing as a form of eksterm socialism bordering on communism…
“How did Norway get to be like this? How did it adopt a “snitch” culture with respect to CPS?”
Norway must have a hidden agenda with all this CPS fiasco. Why would Norway allow Barnevernet to be self-regulated and autonomous in its operations? Who else is sponsoring Barnevernet? Are there any other governments involved? Are there any “Norwegian files” in regard to CPS that we need to know about? (similar to the “Panama files”?)
Time will tell… and truth will eventually prevail.
Norwegian tv2 (private tv channel, but with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions as a prominent owner) seems to have discovered something. Several articles here: http://www.tv2.no/nyheter/8212396/
Interesting whether it lasts.
Norway’s CPS probably gives twins a particularly hard look, Marianne. Two “placements” in one shot.
A report regarding the 12/13 year old girl who died in a fosterhome in Sogn og Fjordane (you remember the one, her parents had begged for medical help for her in the foster home but were brushed off):
The County governor of Sogn og Fjordane has investigated, and concludes that Barnevernet’s follow-up of the 12-year-old was perfectly “defensible” – adequate!
I guess you don’t believe your own eyes. But I do.
“Fylkesmannen: Forsvarlig oppfølging av tolvåring”
http://kommunal-rapport.no/oppvekst/2016/04/fylkesmannen-forsvarlig-oppfolging-av-tolvaring
“Kommunal Rapport” is not an ordinary newspaper, but they say they “edit on an independent basis”.
Barnevernet is always blameless… in their eyes…. This shows no accountability at all! I get really upset at barnevernet! They should never be allowed to have the power they have now!
I have also realised that when someone blames barnevernet for something they just say that they are not going to comment.. Such arrogance and inaccountability!
Actually all newborn babies in Norway should be taken away from their mothers and placed with some other parents at a secret address as barnevernet wishes. You know, mothers might just make a mistake which harms their baby….. Precautions are always best.. just in case….
It doesn`t really matter if the children don`t know who their biological parents are… Nobody knows if the children are being wildly gambled with under their barnevernet leaders….
I was of course being ironic here and exaggerating a bit just to illustrate what madness barnevernet is into.
This was great to reaad