Child protection workers at a South Australian public hospital have been repeatedly violating government policy when removing newborns, according to leaked documents. These practices have raised concerns about “unethical, distressing, and uncomfortable” actions, as revealed by confidential reviews obtained by ABC News.
The reports, conducted by the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN), detail how child protection workers have recently removed newborns from Flinders Medical Centre (FMC), one of Adelaide’s major maternity hospitals.
The Department for Child Protection (DCP) has the authority to remove children if their welfare is at risk. However, the methods used to take newborns from their mothers shortly after birth have faced increased scrutiny. This follows a series of ABC News investigations that have brought the issue to light.
One review specifically mentions an Aboriginal newborn being taken from his mother’s hospital room within the past 18 months. The mother, who attended FMC for antenatal care, was considered a “high child protection risk.”
According to the review, child protection workers, accompanied by five SA Police officers, arrived at the hospital one day after the mother was admitted for labor induction. They believed there were potential concerns regarding the father’s reaction to the baby’s removal. However, the father was not present at the hospital at the time.
The review also highlights that Aboriginal liaison officers (ALO) were not informed of the planned removal, and therefore, were not present to support the family. The newborn was reportedly taken from the mother’s room before the child protection workers had officially authorized the removal under Section 41 of South Australia’s Children and Young People (Safety) Act. SA Health policy clearly states that infants should not be separated from their mothers, except for medical reasons, until Section 41 has been invoked.
Policy Breach Described as ‘Common Practice’
Another SALHN review from August 2022 reveals that breaching this policy has been a “common practice.” The review analyzed the removal of 25 babies between January 2022 and February 2023, finding that 20 percent of these infants were “well” but “absent” from their families when removal notices were served.
The review notes that staff reported routinely removing healthy babies from their mothers’ rooms before Section 41 was invoked, often at the request of the DCP. Staff described these actions as unethical, distressing, and uncomfortable. They also expressed that they should not be asked to perform such tasks.
Further, the review states that midwives were sometimes asked by the DCP not to allow mothers to breastfeed their babies before Section 41 was invoked. This lack of transparency created a moral dilemma for the medical staff, who often knew what was going to happen, while the parents remained unaware. Staff felt conflicted as their role involves caring for both the mother and the baby, yet they were encouraging mothers to prepare for their infants’ arrival without informing them of potential removal plans.
In response to these findings, a department spokesperson told ABC News that requests to prevent breastfeeding were “very unusual” and were only made based on medical advice when there were concerns about the child’s welfare.
Staff Ordered to ‘Immediately Stop’ Policy Violations
In early 2023, an email was sent to all SALHN staff instructing them to “immediately stop” separating babies from their mothers before Section 41 was invoked. The review provided several recommendations to improve the handling of newborn removals in hospitals, including enhanced training for nurses and midwives and the establishment of a culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander birthing program.
SALHN chief executive Kerrie Freeman stated that the health network has “increased collaboration” with an Aboriginal health provider and is “exploring” the development of a specific Aboriginal birthing program that would offer culturally safe care.
