On Saturday, TV 2 told the story of Mille Andrea and Mina Hjalmarsen (16), and their parents’ experience that public care was not enough to help their daughters.
They developed eating disorders and eventually began to get high.
– I have called out to all sides that somewhere in the country of Norway there must be a place where there is 24-hour staff Monday to Sunday, where they can lock the doors and look after the girls so that they do not expose themselves to danger, says Kirsti Skogsholm, mother to the girls.
On the night of Sunday 8 January, they were found lifeless from what are probably overdoses, in an apartment in Spydeberg.
– This has worried us for a long time, says children’s ombudsman Inga Bejer Engh, who emphasizes that she is speaking on a general basis.
HARMFUL: Children’s ombudsman Inga Bejer Engh believes moving between different care bases can be harmful for children Photo: Sveinung Kyte / TV 2
– Must ensure top class
She says that many things have come to light about this case that she has come across in the past.
For a long time, the parents watched with despair as their daughters, who became seriously ill from eating disorders, were eventually sent to the children’s welfare center because they were too ill to stay at home.
– For children under public care, we have told the parents that “OK, now you have to give up or you have chosen to give up yourself – now the authorities will take over”. Then we must ensure that the care provided is of the highest class, says the Children’s Ombudsman, and continues:
– Unfortunately, it is not today.
– Damaging
The children’s ombudsman points to three main challenges in cases like this:
- Better mapping when a child comes into contact with child protection.
- Better interdisciplinary cooperation between the various sectors.
- That moving a child between institutions must be a last resort.
She refers to an established institutional committee, whose mandate is to look at how the framework should be around children like Mina and Mille Andrea.
– I hope they will look at how to ensure better interaction, even though we have these clear sector boundaries which I think work against us thinking in the best interest of the child.
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Mille and Mina (16) died. Now the parents are telling who the twins were.
– Often left with the responsibility
The “sector boundaries” she refers to are the health sector, child protection and school.
– That they deliver in their sector and don’t interact well enough, children suffer because of it, says Bejer Engh.
Over several years, Bejer Engh has expressed concern that child protection, which, unlike the healthcare system, does not have the opportunity to say no, does not always have the tools needed to provide the help that is needed.
– It is still the case that the child welfare services are often left with a great deal of responsibility themselves, if they are unable to help the child well enough based on the competence and the framework they have, says Bejer Engh.
The twins were also moved a number of times between different institutions. Nor is this unknown to the Children’s Ombudsman.
– These constant moves and constant breaks are new breaks in relationships which, to put it gently, are harmful. Especially for this group of children who are particularly vulnerable, says Bejer Engh.
– Urgent
The children’s ombudsman is clear that it is not done overnight to ensure a system that works optimally. At the same time, she believes that these challenges have been known for a long time, without her having seen any signs of improvement.
– For many years now we have talked about challenges with children who need help from several services and especially children who are under public care, so this is very urgent, says Bejer Engh.
– This applies to children who live their lives now. It is very costly for the individual child, the individual family, but also for society.
On Friday, it became clear that the State Administrator will open an inspection in the case and a larger investigation has already been announced.
Two people have been charged in the case with negligent homicide, and for having sold drugs to the girls and for having left the twins in a helpless state. Both deny criminal guilt.
