The Madness of Australian Child Protection : Why adoption will rescue Australia's underclass children by Jeremy Sammut

The Madness of Australian Child Protection : Why adoption will rescue Australia's underclass children by Jeremy Sammut

Foreword by Deborra-lee Furness 

Paperback, 328 pages, $29.95

ISBN: 9781925138832

Published in 2015


Why are the most vulnerable children in Australia abused and neglected in plain sight of the child welfare authorities supposed to protect them? The over-emphasis placed on ‘family preservation’ at almost all costs keeps exposing children to prolonged – and sometimes fatal – maltreatment by highly-damaged parents…who damage their children. When finally removed as a last resort, children are further damaged by highly unstable foster care and repeat breakdowns of family reunifications.

The Madness of Australian Child Protection analyses the ideological, institutional and cultural factors that impede efforts to ensure priority is given to children’s rights instead of the ‘rights’ of dysfunctional parents. In this passionate account of a flawed system, Sammut argues that the perpetual crisis besetting child protection regimes nation-wide will not end until the taboo on the use of adoption is broken.

“I have been impressed by the work of Dr Jeremy Sammut of the Centre for Independent Studies in relation to the failures in Australian child protection systems and the low reliance in Australia on adoption as a permanent placement option for children in the child protection system.”
– Inquest into the death of Chloe Lee Valentine conducted by Mark Johns, State Coroner, South Australia, 9 April 2015.