Are Child Protection Systems Around The World Getting It Wrong?

Christina England, November 14, 2010

It has been reported that 28.6% of Canada's children and youths are vulnerable to physical and/or emotional injury. These statistics were stated by the information website Child Abuse Effects.

The Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal reported that in 2007 an estimated 67,000 children were in out-of-home care across Canada.

The figures shown in a briefing document Child protection statistics: A UK comparison for children referred to child protection were unbelievable in the UK in the same year, with England being as high as 545,000, Wales 49,561 and Scotland 11,960.

In the USA the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children´s Bureau wrote a report entitled Child Maltreatment 2006 which reported that:

"During Federal fiscal year 2006, an estimated 3.3 million referrals, involving the alleged maltreatment of approximately 6.0 million children, were made to CPS agencies."

Out of these an estimated 905,000 children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect. Interestingly the report states that:

"Children in the age group of birth to 1 year had the highest rate of victimization at 24.4 per 1,000 children of the same age group in the national population"

These figures although slightly out of date are staggering but how many of the children in care today have actually been taken from loving caring families? One would hope none of them had but sadly this is not the case. Some children it appears are taken from families who are loving and caring because the child protection system has got it wrong.

Parents from around the world are saying that they have been falsely accused of child abuse after their child has become sick through no fault of their own. This article tells the tragic story of one such family.

Tess was born a healthy baby and became a healthy toddler. She was meeting all her milestones and her parents Michele and Barry were very proud of their beautiful daughter. However, in the summer of 2002 things took an unexpected turn. Tess then aged six years old became very ill, she lost her speech and began to deteriorate. Tess was not alone, Michele and Barry also became very ill with a combination of diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness and burning to the throats. The whole family developed a terrible cough. Tess developed a terrible rash and began to have a series of seizures. Their illness was a complete mystery. Despite tests the doctors were at a loss. It wasn't until a William A. Croft M.D., diagnosed arsenic poisoning that things began to drop into place.

A repair man visiting the family home to check their air condition had pointed out that he could see chemicals leaking out of the wood on their decking. Michele and Barry had recently had a brand new decking erected in their garden ironically so that Tess could play safely under the watchful eye of her mother. Unbeknown to them the decking similar to many deckings being used at the time was treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), usually recognisable from it's greenish tinge. This treatment was used to protect the wood to kill bugs and bacteria, however because of it's arsenic content it was highly dangerous and for this reason CCA has been since discontinued.

The Pesticides: Regulating Pesticides 2008 said:

"Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a chemical wood preservative containing chromium, copper and arsenic. CCA is used in pressure treated wood to protect wood from rotting due to insects and microbial agents. EPA has classified CCA as a restricted use product, for use only by certified pesticide applicators.

CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber since the 1940s. Since the 1970s, the majority of the wood used in outdoor residential settings has been CCA-treated wood. Pressure treated wood containing CCA is no longer being produced for use in most residential settings, including decks and playsets".

Sadly this information came too late for Tess and her family who were already very ill with arsenic poisoning.

The symptoms of arsenic poisoning taken from the website wiseGeek are extensive and include stomach pain, bowel pain, tenderness and pressure on the body, retching, vomiting, excess saliva, a dry or tight throat, lethargy, thirst and weakness. A hoarse voice, encephalopathy, coma, speech changes or difficulty speaking, diarrhea, a burning sensation while urinating, tenesmus, problems with the anus, cramps, convulsions, cold or clammy sweats, purplish-red skin, a sunken face, red eyes and delirium may indicate poisoning.

Dr Croft said that the family were suffering from acute and chronic arsenic exposure from the wood. The deck was condemned as a health hazard and was removed shortly afterwards However the families problems did not end there.

Despite this and a report stating that "Barry, Michele and Tess have undergone and will require to undergo extensive hospital, medical surgical, therapeutic and pharmacological treatment" things began to deteriorate and Michele became under suspicion of munchausen's by proxy. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy or MSBP is a diagnosis given to a mother or care giver to describe aspects of their behaviour. This behaviour usually includes subjecting what appears to be a previously healthy child to unnecessary and often painful tests or medical interventions i.e.: scans, x-rays and even surgical procedures to gain attention from the medical profession. Tess became subject to child protection procedures.

This came as a complete shock to the family because all medical reports had clearly stated that the problems Michele reported were very real. One report presented to child protection about Tess's condition stated the following:

"In 2000 the medical records show a development of skin rashes , numbness, tingling. G.I complaints, behaviour and cognition activities and seizures."

Reports consistently showed a history of seizures, allergies, anaphylactic allergic reactions requiring an epi pen (described as a peanut allergy), fine motor problems, difficulties with spatial awareness, ADHD, thyroid abnormalities the list wass endless. Tess's thyroid condition was identified in 2008 as being Hashimoto's thyroiditis. These complaints were clearly not made up or exaggerated as report after report describe the same things. One report in 2008 states "Thyroid antibodies persist" the same report states "Tess's medical problems are all consistent with exposures to arsenic and chromium that occurred in the 2002 period".

Due to Tess's allergies, Tess was exempt from receiving her vaccinations however, she was vaccinated against her mother's wishes with the MMR and straight away her problems increased. Michele says "She immediately deteriorated developing hives". Tess began to lose eye contact and slowly her lovely smile faded.

Last year Tess was removed from the family home and taken into care. Michele was said to suffer from MSBP, she was described as very anxious and on occasions as depressed. Hardly surprising after the catastrophic series of events. Michele is devastated and angry. She says "This was no way to treat a family, it never ends, MSbP for exposure? Your heart breaks, as you watch them struggle with brain fog and bowel issues, school grades drop.. and its a simple thyroid titer issue, known to be caused by arsenic..... EPI PENS denied.. BY doctors and child protection. WHO IS PROTECTED the CHILD?"

Doctors repeated time and time again that Michele responded appropriately. Tess was described in the child care reports as being happy and did not present an anxious child. She had a variety of friends and was doing well at school. Tess had described her condition as 'reactions' which required an Epi. The CAS could not conclude that Tess was at risk from harm due to emotional abuse.

So what was Tess at risk from exactly?

Sadly Michele not only lost the child she adores but also her marriage and her home.

N.B I have been given full permission to use reports and photos by Michele. I have used Christian names only to protect the family and have not identified which country they come from.

Source: American Chronicle

The mother in this case has appeared on fixcas before in 2006 and 2008.