|
|||||
| Return to 2005 News Releases | |||||
|
|
News
Release |
||||
|
Jones says government must investigate removal of child
from Pasadena home and re-assess adoption policy December 6, 2005
|
|||||
|
Yvonne Jones, Opposition Health and Community Services Critic and MHA for
the District of Cartwright - L’Anse Au Clair, says she is frustrated with
the government response to a case where a four year old child was
unexpectedly removed from the home of a Pasadena family after 25 months of
care. "I raised this issue in the House of Assembly today and I believe it merits further investigation by the Minister and his department," said Jones. "We have a child in this instance that spent the first two years of his life being moved from family to family due to circumstances beyond the control of the child. Now, 25 months later the child is four years old and has finally experienced some degree of stability, yet government has taken action to remove him from a loving family setting. "This child was removed from the house abruptly and without proper cause and process being followed. There was no assessment done by a child psychologist and no meaningful reason to further uproot him from a stable environment. I do not understand why the Tulk family were refused permanent adoption under the law of Newfoundland and Labrador, even though he was in their permanent care for over two years. "There have been questions raised about the usage of a social worker to remove the child from the house that was once employed by Health Labrador Corporation in Shesheshit. The worker terminated her job and returned to live on the Island portion of the province and was not an employee of government at the time of the removal. The Minister of Health confirmed this fact during questions from reporters this afternoon. "There are serious questions that must be answered following the publication of this incident involving a four year old boy. Government policies must be revisited and a full investigation into this case launched by the Minister of Health and Community Services. The family that has cared for the child over the past two years is very distraught as a result of this incident and their concerns must be addressed. It is obvious that the best interests of the child were not considered in the poorly administered removal that took place in Pasadena." |
|||||
|
Media Contact: |
|||||
