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 Post subject: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:18 am 
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Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal


Stein Mortensbakke and his wife have functioned as a visiting home for two children whose mother died from cancer. They are the children's relatives.

Mortensbakke has been a colleague of Marius Bodnariu's (cf The five children of a Romanian-Norwegian family taken by Barnevernet (the child protection services, CPS) in Norway), and has expressed strong objections to Naustdal Barnevern's taking away of the five Bodnariu children from their parents.

But, of course, they won't have any of that!  –  "they" being Naustdal municipality's Barnevern and the municipality's head administrator Øyvind Bang-Olsen and the mayor Håkon Myrvang (the Labour Party). They must hold on to their power over people. No one can be allowed to deviate, that would tempt others. Everybody shall obey Barnevernet and shut up, just like in ordinary dictatorial countries. So, Barnevernet cancels the agreement that the two children are allowed to visit their relatives the Mortensbakkes, and the municipality's people "trust in the assessments of Barnevernet and cannot go into individual cases" ! (Heard these formulations before?)

Here below are some comments and links to the case.

  

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 Post subject: Re: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:24 am 
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Barnevernet and the municipality take revenge


Typical: Barnevernet in well-known style, only want uncritical yes-people, regardless of what Barnevernet DOES:

Kritiserte barnevernet – fekk sparken (Criticised Barnevernet – got the boot)
Stein Mortensbakke og kona får ikkje lenger vere besøksheim for to små barn. Årsak: Stein Mortensbakke har krisert barnevernet i Naustdal.
(Stein Mortensbakke and his wife are no longer allowed to be a visiting home for two small children. Reason: Stein Mortensbakke has criticised Barnevernet in Naustdal.)
nrk Sogn og Fjordane, 18 August 2016


"I brevet frå barnevernet til Mortensbakke står det mellom anna følgjande om kvifor Mortensbakke sin heim ikkje lenger kan vere besøksheim:
    «Grunngjevinga er at barnevernet har informasjon om brev som er send til rådmannen i samband med ei barnevernssak i kommunen, og at haldningane dine til barn og barnevernstenesta i Naustdal ikkje er i samsvar med at du er tilsett som oppdragstakar hjå oss»."

(The letter to Mortensbakke from Barnevernet says, among other things, this about why Mortensbakke's home can no longer be a visiting home:
    "The reason is that Barnevernet has information about a letter which was sent to the head administrator in connection with a child protection case in the municipality, and that your attitude to children and to the child protection service in Naustdal is not in accordance with being employed in services for us.")

"Men rådmann i Naustdal, Øyvind Bang-Olsen, avviser på si side at Mortensbakke er utsett for hemn frå barnevernet og Naustdal kommune."
(But the head administrator in Naustdal, Øyvind Bang-Olsen, denies that Mortensbakke is subject to revenge from Barnevernet and Naustdal municipality.)

Well, Bang-Olsen can deny to his lungs' full capacity!


"– Det ligg til barnevernet å vurdere kvalifikasjonar, haldningar og kor skikka ein er til å utøve tenester for barnevernet, seier rådmannen.
    – Så du meiner familien Mortensbakke ikkje er skikka til å vere besøksheim fordi dei har kritisert barnevernet?
    – Eg vil ikkje gå nærare inn på kva grunngjeving barnevernet har brukt.
    – Men grunngjevinga står i brevet. Det står rett ut at dei ikkje lenger kan vere besøksheim fordi Mortensbakke i eit brev til rådmannen i Naustdal har kritisert barnevernet i den såkalla Naustdals-saka. Kva er det i brevet som gjer Mortensbakke ueigna til å ha besøksheim?
    – På grunn av teieplikta ønskjer eg ikkje å utdjupe dette no, seier Bang-Olsen som poengterer at han har fagfolk som vurderer dette profesjonelt."

(– It is for Barnevernet to evaluate qualifications, attitudes and how suitable one is to carry out services for Barnevernet, says the head administrator.
    So it is your opinion that the Mortensbakke family is not suitable to be a visiting home because they have criticised Barnevernet?
    – I will not go into the reasons Barnevernet has given any further.
    – But the reason is given in the letter. It says straight out that they can no longer be a visiting home because Mortensbakke in a letter to the head administrator in Naustdal has criticised Barnevernet in the so-called Naustdal case. What in the letter makes Mortensbakke unsuitable to function as a visiting home?
    – Because of the confidentiality obligation I do not wish to elaborate on this now, says Bang-Olsen, who points out that he has experts who assess this professionally.)

Hoho, obligation of confidentiality? This head administrator is becoming something of a character with all his various statements in the Bodnariu case!


Mortensbakke on his side seems a bit more naïve than is good for him:
"Mortensbakke er svært opprørt.
    – Det at ein skal trugast til å vere taus er frykteleg. Det minner meg om den svenske ministeren som for mange år sidan uttalte at Norge var den siste stalinistiske staten. Eg har aldri trudd at offentlege tenestemenn går ut med ein rein hemnaksjon på denne måten."

(Mortensbakke is very upset.
    – It is terrible that one is threatened into silence. It reminds me of the Swedish minister who many years ago said that Norway was the last stalinist state. I would hever have believed that public servants come up with a pure revenge action in this way.)

But why has he expected any different? Has he and his wife been content as a visiting home for Barnevernet and without an eye to other people whose dealings with Barnevernet are less pleasant?

*

The newspaper Dagen has taken up nrk's article:
Kritiserte barnevernet i Naustdal - fekk sparken (Criticised Barnevernet in Naustdal – got the boot)
Dagen, 18 August 2016

  

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 Post subject: Re: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:53 am 
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mater familias, who is a frequent writer on Forum Redd Våre Barn (Rescue Our Children), has two postings, with further links, in which an important fact is made clear: The Mortensbakkes are not ordinary, well-paid takers of assignments by Barnevernet, they are the two children's relatives and the children's mother is dead.


.... Stakkars Mortensbakke (... Poor Mortensbakke)
18 August 2016

Stilte spørsmål ... (Questioned something ...)
19 August 2016

    

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 Post subject: Re: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:55 am 
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- Vil ha ro om barnevernet (– Want quiet around Barnevernet)
Firda, 21 August 2016

Quite an enlightening article, showing Naustdal's municipality increasingly up as tragi-comical.

NAUSTDAL: Ordførar Håkon Myrvang (Ap) likar ikkje å få endå ei negativ mediesak om barnevernet.
(The mayor Håkon Myrvang (the Labour Party) does not like having yet another negative media case about Barnevernet.)

So politicians and bureaucrats want peace and quiet. Quiet, so that people forget that Barnevernet in the district is a scandalous harm-doer, and so that the authorities can continue protecting Barnevernet and assert that Barnevernet does everything right and carry out "expert assessments".


The article in the ordinary web edition of Firda is blocked except to subscribers, but it is quite obvious that this is the case about the visiting home of Stein Mortensbakke and his wife, which Barnevernet no longer finds "suitable", cf above.

However, the article has turned up here, reason unknown:

Vil ha ro om barnevernet
redir.opoint.com


The comedy is complete. Just listen to this:

"Politikarar og administrasjon har i utgangspunktet ulike roller. Sjølv om ordføraren er øvste leiar og ansvarleg for dei tilsette, er det ikkje vanleg å blande seg i sakshandsaminga."
(Politicians and administration have basically different roles. Even if the mayor is the top leader and is responsible for the employees, it is not usual [for him] to meddle in cae procedure.)

What, then, if a case is unusual? – – Ah no, I forgot: Naustdal Barnevern ARE on their usual behaviour all the time, the behaviour which is also the usual one for Norwegian Barnevern nationally.
 

"Det er heller ikkje mi oppgåve å seie om eg er nøgd eller misnøgd med sakshandsaminga."
(Nor is it my job to say whether I am satisfied or disstisfied with the case treatment.)

One must suppose, then, that the job of politicians and administrators is only to defend their employees Barnevernet and dismiss all complaints against them. In other words, the employer is completely irresponsible. The only thing a citizen can do when subject to crazy actions, is to go to court. The result of that, however, we know not to function at all; it takes endless time, while Barnevernet has the power over the children, it takes endless time for the family to prepare the ground for such a court case, the expense is far above what people can manage. And even if one were, in a rare instance, to win, the preacical consequences are more or less nil.


"– Barnevernet inngår avtalar med ulike besøksheimar, og eg verken kan eller vil kommentere enkeltsaker. Men eg likar ikkje at vi får ein ny negativ debatt om barnevernet i ei sak verken eg eller media har inngåande kjennskap til. Alle partar bør no konsentrere seg om å skape ro kring ei viktig teneste, som er etablert for å sjå til at alle barn får gode oppvekstvilkår."
(– Barnevernet enters into agreement with different visiting homes, and I neither can nor will I comment on individual cases. But I do not like having a new, negative debate about Barnevernet in a case which neither I nor the media have thorough insight into. All parties should now concentrate on creating peace and quiet around an important service, which has been established to see to it that all children get good conditions around their lives.)

In other words: The mayor DOES NOT WANT to know anything. At the same time his opinion is that everybody should shut up about everything he does not know anything about!


"– Etter så mykje negativ merksemd, er det aktuelt for politikarane å ta ein gjennomgang av barnevernstenesta, til dømes be om tilsyn frå Fylkesmannen?
    – Dette er ikkje vurdert.
    – Vil de ta ei slik vurdering?
    – Nei."

(– After so much negative attention, is it in the pipeline for the politicians to do a whole evaluation of the Barnevern service, for instance to ask for monitoring from the County Governor?
    – This har not been considered.
    – Will you consider it?
    – No.)


Best to shut the eyes firmly.
Probably this is what is known as the "internal control" of the municipalities.

    

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 Post subject: Re: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 8:33 am 
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Jan Simonsen:
Kritiserte barnevernet, fikk ikke lengre være besøkshjem (Criticised Barnevernet, was no longer allowed to be visiting home)
Frie Ytringer, Jan Simonsons blog, 22 August 2016


"Stein Mortensbakke trodde det gikk an å rette saklig kritikk mot barneverntjenesten i Naustdal. Han så uretten Bodnariu-familien ble utsatt for, og ville gjøre rådmannen oppmerksom på den. Dermed straffet barnevernet både han og de to barna som pleide å se frem til besøket hos deres avdøde mors slektninger. Han ble straffet og forfulgt fordi han engasjerte seg i Bodnariu-saken."
(Stein Mortensbakke thought it possible to direct fair criticism against the child protection service in Naustdal. He saw the injustice which the Bodnariu family was subjected to, and he wanted to make the head administrator aware of it. As a result, Barnevernet punished both him and the two children who used to look forward to the visits with their deceased mother's relatives. He was punished and victimised because he made an effort in the Bodnariu case.)

    

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 Post subject: Re: Only "yes" people accepted as visiting homes by Naustdal
PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:14 am 
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Naustdal's bureaucrat must at long last look into an "individual case" ?

Goodness, how very little proper press exposure it takes to have the participants in the Norwegian child protection system turn a little bit afraid. It is only when families who are illtreated try to tell the public about it that it is rejected with contempt and suppressed as well as possible.


Fo[r]sterheimsforeininga fryktar færre vil bli besøksheimar (The Foster Home Association is afraid that fewer people will want to be visiting homes)
Norsk Fosterheimsforening fryktar for rekrutteringa etter at eit foreldrepar ikkje får vere besøksheim for to små born. Generalsekretær Tove Wahlstrøm etterlyser ei grunngjeving for oppseiinga av kontrakten.
(Norwegian Foster Home Association fears for the recruitment since one couple are not allowed to function as a visiting home for two small children. The General Secretary Tove Wahlstrøm calls for an explanation of why the contract was cancelled.)
nrk Sogn og Fjordane, 24 August 2016


"Rådmann i Naustdal, Øyvind Bang-Olsen, skriv i ein e-post til NRK at han no opnar for å vurdere heile saka på nytt. Dette er e-postkorrespondansen mellom NRK og Bang-Olsen etter kritikken frå Fosterheimsforeininga:
    – Opnar du no for at Mortensbakke likevel kan vere besøksheim for dei to barna?
    – Det er tidleg å seie no, men vi skal vurdere alle innspel så godt vi kan."

(The head administrator in Naustdal, Øyvind Bang-Olsen, writes in an e-mail to NRK that he now opens up for a reconsideration of the whole case. This is the e-mail correspondence between NRK and Bang-Olsen after the criticism from the Foster Homes Association:
    – Are you now giving an opening for Mortensbakke to be visiting home for the two children after all?
    – It is too early to say right now, but we will consider all suggestions as well as we are capable of.)


So it is a question how much they are capable of, then.


    – Generalsekretæren i fosterheimsforeininga meiner dei to borna som må skifte besøksheim er dei store taparane i denne saka. Kva kommentar har du til det?
    – Vi har sjølvsagt eit ansvar for å skape eit godt og trygt tilbod til desse barna. Det er ei oppgåve vi tek på alvor."

(– The General Secretary of the Foster Homes Association thinks the two children who have to change visiting home are the big losers in this case. What is your comment to that?
    – Of course we have a responsibility to create a good and safe opportunity for these children. That is a task we take seriously.)


Really? They did no such thing regarding the Bodnarius' children.


"– Måten de handterer saka på er også uheldig for rekrutteringa når det gjeld nye besøksheimar og nye fosterforeldre, meiner generalsekretæren i fosterheimsforeininga. Kva er din kommentar til dette?
    – Rekruttering til dette føremålet er viktig. Det er også vi opptekne av. Vi ser at saka har fått eit uheldig omfang som vi ikkje såg føre oss."

(The way you are handling the case is also unfortunate for recruitment as regards new visiting homes and new foster parents, the General Secretary thinks. What is your comment?
    – Recruitment for this purpose is important. That too is something we are interested in. We can see that the case has developed into dimensions we had not foreseen.)


Ah yes, it is the self-interest of the Foster Homes Association which makes Bang-Olsen yield?


"– Generalsekretæren i fosterheimsforeininga seier vidare at Naustdal kommune si handtering av saka skaper frykt hos fosterforeldre og besøksforeldre. Dei blir redde for å seie frå om kritikkverdige forhold av frykt for å misse barna. Kva er din kommentar til dette?
    – Sakleg og konstruktiv kritikk er alltid viktig å ha høve til gje, men samstundes skal det vere eit tillitsforhold mellom barnevernet og den som har oppdrag for kommunen. Vi har sjølvsagt ansvaret for å følgje opp retningslinene på dette området."

(The General Secretary in the Foster Homes Association adds that Naustdal municipality's handling of the case creates fear among foster parents and visiting parents. They are becoming afraid to speak up about criticisable matters out of a fear of losing the children. What is your comment to this?
    – It is always important to have the opportunity to come up with objective and constructive criticism, but at the same time there must be a relationship of trust between Barnevernet and the one who is carrying out a job for the municipality. We of course have the obligation of following the instructions in this area.)


First time we have heard Naustdal municipality acknowledge that objective, to-the-point criticism is important. But of course Bang-Olsen thinks it must also be "constructive", and I suppose he and Barnevernet are the ones to evaluate its "objectivity" also.


"– Med bakgrunn i den skriftlege grunngjevinga, tek du sjølvkritikk for at Mortensbakke vart sparka i denne saka og for måten de har handtert saka?
    – Vi tek kritikken til vitande. Vi har sett på den reaksjon som er komen og synest det er rett at det vert gjeve rom for å gå gjennom saka på nytt, seier han."

(– With the reason given in writing, do you accept criticism for Mortensbakke being fired in this case and for the way you people have handled the case?
    – We take note of the criticism. We have seen the reaction which came and we think it right to make room for going through the case again, he says.)


Here we are: He does not want to make use of common sense and decency when it comes to the municipality's handling of child protection cases, he only wants to leave it to Barnevernet to do whatever they want, and then support them and try to bring opposition to silence.
    It is the "reaction" from the public and from the allies, the Foster Home Association, that make him do something sensible – the first sensible thing I can memember having seen from Naustdal municipality in a child protection context.

*
Mortensbakke's letter to the head administrator, which triggered the rejection of his home as visiting home, concerned the Bodnariu case:

"Uoppretteleg tragedie
    I brevet til rådmannen stiller Mortensbakke ei rekkje spørsmål ved barnevernet si handtering av saka mot den norskrumenske familien. Mortensbakke er kritisk til barnevernet si handtering og lurer mellom anna på om familien har fått den oppfølging og dei hjelpetiltak dei har krav på. Mortenbakke avsluttar og oppsummerer brevet slik:
    «Barnevernet i kommunen har her utført unødvendig maktbruk og handlar ikkje til barna og familien sitt beste. Vårt krav er at barnevernet leverer barna tilbake til familien og set i gang dei tiltak som manglar. De må evaluere og undersøkje så mykje de vil. Håper kommunen er profesjonell nok til å sjå denne saka og redde denne familien. Slik saka står no vil det ende med ein uoppretteleg tragedie som fleire må kjenne på»."

(Irreparable tragedy
    In the letter, Mortensbakke raises a number of objections to Barnevernet's handling of the case against the Norwegian-Romanian family. Mortensbakke is critical to Barnevernet's case handling and wonders, among other things, whether the family has received the follow-up to which they have a right. Mortensbakke ends and summarises the letter in this way:
    [b]"Barnevernet in this municipality has here used unnecessary force and is not acting in the children's and the family's best interest. Our demand is that Barnevernet hands the children back to the family and starts the help required. They can evaluate and investigate as much as they like. Hope the municipality is professional enough to see this case and rescue this family. The way the case is at present, it will end in an irreparable tragedy which many must experience.")




  

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