Leanne and Rick
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Leanne and Rick have learning disabilities.
‘Child protection removed my sons from hospital nearly five years ago,’ Rick told the Royal Commission. ‘[Recently], my baby son was removed from hospital also over myself and partner having mild learning difficulties [and] anxiety.’
Leanne said she was in hospital and ‘doing what’s right’ when child protection officers removed her baby.
‘It has traumatised us completely,’ said Rick. ‘The department have never intended to give us the chance with our boys.’
Rick said the department questioned his and Lianne’s ability to care for their children over several years, which he describes as ‘psychological abuse’. He said their disability was used by the department ‘as a label’ to remove their children.
He said advocates supported their attempts to have the department return their children, but ‘the department do not listen to other people effectively’.
‘Things could be done better by the department, seeing past learning difficulties and seeing the person and what their strengths are, in order to work effectively with the parents, rather than against innocent families.’
Leanne said disability did not give the department the right ‘to treat innocent families appallingly’.
She told the Royal Commission that parents needed to ‘be given that chance to parent as people with disability, especially parents who function okay in society … just as much as the next person without disability’.
‘The department do not look at us as people. They just seem to look at us as a disability label … Disrespecting us [without] considering we are loving, caring parents with good intentions.’
‘There desperately needs to be fairness.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.