Astrid Krag on explosion in adoptions: 'We talk about cases where the parents are bad'
The Minister of Social Affairs is, as she herself puts it, on the side of the children.
The number of children being adopted away from their parents withoutconsent - that is, by force fromthe authorities - has exploded in a few years, and that is basically good, says Astrid Krag (S).
- The figures show that it may well be that we in the legislation had the opportunity to forcibly adopt, but that it largely did not apply.
That is, there were children who would have benefited from an adoption away - from getting a new one,stable and lasting family - who have not got it, saysthe Minister in an interview with P1 Morgen.
The interview takes place after Zetland has uncovered how the high numbers coincide with pregnant women fleeing the country to avoid their child being adopted away. But first and foremost, they fall in line with a political ambition.
I think it's good that this tool is now coming into play.
MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS ASTRID KRAG (S)
It's only a little over two years ago thatPrime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) in her New Year's speech said that more children must be removed from their parents, faster than is happening today.
- Today, there are some parents who get too many chances - perhaps in the best sense, it sounded.
But it should be over - society should step into character.
- We must put the touch anxiety away, said Mette Frederiksen.
In 2020 and 2021, according to preliminary figures, from The National Board of Appeal adopted a total of 59 children. It must be seen in relation to the fact that in 2016 there was one single case and three in 2017.
Satisfied Minister
The question to Minister of Social Affairs and the Elderly Astrid Krag is therefore whether the system has been put under pressure?
- I think it is good that this tool now comes into play, she says and refers with the word 'tool' to adoption.
Astrid Krag is at the forefront of the new legislation that will leadthe government's ambitions come to life.
Although an agreement has been reached which will make it possible to make a decision on adoption, even before the child is born - among other things, the law has not yet been finalized. So it is only the political rhetoric that has changed.
Have you gone too far?
- I do not have to assess what is appropriate, and we have never set a target figure, says Astrid Krag. She continues:
- I am satisfied that you do what is right for the child and take the necessary steps, she says.
The children pay the price
"The right thing" seems to be difficult to define in the discussion of both adoptions and forced removals.
On the one hand, one can find cases and children who have no doubt not been dealt with properly by their parents and where society has intervened too late.
When we talk about adoption, it is important to say that these are cases where the parents are bad.
MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS ASTRID KRAG (S)
On the other hand, there are stories of mothers and fathers who have lost their child or children in the collision with a system they and the irrelatives have completely lost confidence in.
However, this is not how Astrid Krag sees the matter.
- When we talk about adoption, it is important to say that these are cases where the parents are bad, she says.
NEARLY 14,000 ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE HOME
* In 2018, 13,823 children and young people between the ages of 0 and 22 were placed outside the home. In round numbers, 1 in 100 is placed outside the home.
* More boys than girls are placed outside the home. 7,487 boys were placed, while the number of girls was 6,323.
* About half of all detainees are between 12 and 17 years old.
* The number of placed children and young people has decreased in recent years. In 2011, 14,978 were placed outside the home.
* 8,703 children were placed in foster care, 2,366 were in a residential institution, while 1,921 were in a residence for children and young people. The rest either have their own room or were at boarding or after-school or other offers.
* The majority - exactly 8,543 of the placements - were with the parents' consent, while in 2,713 cases it happened without parental consent.
* Quite a few are forcibly adopted from birth. For the past three years, it has been under ten a year.
- In addition, 2,100 between 18 and 22 years of age were associated with the offer aftercare, which is for young people who have been placed outside the home in their childhood. For example, they may live in a day care center or in a foster family.
Source: Ritzau
The Minister emphasizes that although the individual cases together can become a statistic, they are an expression of very concrete case processing in some very heavy cases, which can not be solved by voluntary means or with help and advice.
- It is not something you use a lot, but only in cases where the parents will permanently be unable to give the children this care , and the children may be at risk, she says, pointing out that the alternative is often years of placement outside the home and perhaps even in different places.
"Parallel realities"
There are forces that work in a different direction than ministers . It has been shown that pregnant women and entire families succeed in retaining children that the Danish authorities want to adopt by fleeing abroad.
Astrid Krag calls it "completely infinitely sad".
- Most of all, I get really upset on behalf of those children and worried about those children, she says.
READ ALSO : Network helps pregnant women to escape from Denmark to avoid forced adoption
There is a network of people who give women the right contacts to start a new life, and from here it is argued that the advice and help from, among others, the German and Polish authorities is better.
The rejects ministers .
- I am deeply concerned that these parallel realities can thrive, where there are some thoughts about our system that are not right, says Astrid Krag.
- These are some very, very vulnerable people who get in trouble, and worst of all someunborn children who are going to pay a big price, she says.
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