Children were exposed to threats and violence for several years - despite contact with social services

“In connection with investigations initiated (October 2020) concerning both children, it is noted that the children throughout their upbringing lived under threat, control and physical choice.

There is a high suspicion that there has also been sexual abuse in the home.

This also applies to the children's two older siblings ”.

Kalmar municipality writes this in a lex Sarah report sent to the Swedish Health and Care Inspectorate (IVO).

The reason why the municipality reports itself is that the children's situation has been investigated, from time to time, for ten years.

- We see it as very serious and that is why we act, says Lotta Hedström, operations manager at the unit for children and families at the Social Administration in Kalmar municipality.

Registrations for a decade

The children have been involved in the Social Services since 2010 and over the years there have been several reports and investigations.

But it was not until October this year that the Social Services suspected that the children were doing badly.

- It may happen that a matter that has already been relevant with us becomes relevant again.

Then there is someone who tells or that we get facts that make us make a completely different assessment than what we did the first time, says Thereze Lundborg, head of unit for children and families at the Social Administration in Kalmar municipality.

Violence and threat

According to the lex Sarah report, it has now emerged during the Social Services' investigations that the children lived under threat, control and physical violence throughout their upbringing.

There are also suspicions that there has been sexual abuse in the home.

Two of the children were then immediately taken into care according to LVU, a law with a special provision on the care of young people.

Registered according to lex Sarah

- We need to investigate and see if we have handled the case as we should, look back and see if we have missed anything.

We will investigate and go through the course of events carefully, says Lotta Hedström.

But have you missed anything here?

- That is why we have reported this to IVO for them to review the investigation because we have seen it as a serious misconduct or a clear risk of a serious misconduct, says Lotta Hedström.