Little is known about the circumstances under which children are removed from the care of parents with a disability through the family law system. It is largely hidden from public and government scrutiny because it is viewed as a private, civil matter within a family. In addition, many children of parents with disabilities are raised by wider family members under informal arrangements. Little, if anything, is known about these arrangements and whether they are freely entered into by the parent with a disability. This report focuses on those interventions that result in the removal of a child from the home of their parent or parents against their will under the family law system. The report draws on the experience of the Public Advocate and other disability advocacy organizations in recent years. This Report was published by the Victorian Office of the Public Advocate in December 2013.
