SA family’s separation ordeal after severely disabled girl taken by Child Protection Department without warning

A single mum has slammed the Child Protection Department for putting her through an “absurd and traumatising” ordeal after taking away her severely disabled daughter.

The mother of a severely disabled girl taken by the Child Protection Department without warning says she needed help to cope but was instead put through an “absurd and traumatising” four-month ordeal.

Single mum Emily* says police and social workers came to her home unannounced on July 20 to take her daughter Ava* after apparently receiving reports that she was underweight and living in a home with too much mess.

Emily said she was told Ava, 17, would be assessed in hospital and returned home soon.

Instead, a court order was pursued and Ava spent the next four months in state care.

It is understood she was placed alone in a four-bedroom home with around-the-clock carers at significant cost to taxpayers.

With Ava away for more than two months, Emily lost her carer’s pension and was almost evicted from her rental property.

She says at the time Ava was taken they had both recently contracted Covid-19 for the second time and Ava, who is fed through a tube in her stomach, had lost about 4kg.

Emily was also preparing for spinal surgery and concedes she was not coping well.

But the 52-year-old argues the department did more harm than good by removing Ava and instead should have offered support to keep her safe at home.

Single mum Emily* says police and social workers came to her home unannounced on July 20 to take her daughter Ava*. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“I knew I needed help because Ava’s quite a complex disabled child. They don’t understand what she’s trying to say to them or what she needs,” she told The Advertiser.

“If they put some of that money (for housing Ava in state care) to helping us, I could have had great care in the home.

“Instead, she would have thought ‘Mum’s left me’. She clings to me now.”

When contacted about the case, a spokeswoman for the department said it “takes the safety and wellbeing of children seriously” but “does not comment on individual matters”.

The department has previously said removal of children is a “decision of last resort”.

Ava was born with Down syndrome and is non-verbal and legally blind. She also has autism, hearing loss and a heart condition.

Reports were made about her family to child protection about 11 years ago, when Emily admits she was battling addiction to drugs and gambling.

However, Emily says she has been clean since and authorities did not remove Ava, or any other children in her care, at the time.

Ava’s grandmother had stepped in to help care for Ava temporarily.

“Back then I would’ve put my hand up and said ‘Yes I understand if you’re taking the kids’,” Emily said. “But I’ve been clean and sober and not gambling for almost 10 years now.”

Her family says while Ava was in state care this year:

SHE suffered two seizures and was taken to hospital with an ear infection.

HER NDIS funding was not spent as normal so her future allocation has been revised down.

EMILY lost her carer’s pension and her family had to cover her rent.

THE department raised allegations, without providing evidence, that Emily was involved with bikies.

THERE were investigations that Emily was receiving end-of-life medical treatment – which she is not – and confusion over where the information came from.

THE department sent confidential details about another family’s case to Ava’s uncle Michael* – who was advocating on her behalf – including names, addresses and medical information. It issued a written apology for the breach.

Ava’s family said that when she was returned on November 25, she was sent with medication bearing incorrect labels recommending she be given twice the dosage required.

Michael said the ordeal had “been “traumatic for everybody and it didn’t need to be this way”.

“Imagine if they got around Ava from day one and thought how can we help this family … rather than them going to this massively traumatic and expensive process,” he said.

“It wasn’t a fair process. DCP need to stop treating families like this. This could happen to another child, this could already be happening to many children.”

*All names have been changed to protect their identities.