Child protection gaps exposed in Norway-Spain relocation case
A Norwegian child protection case from 2007 reveals systemic gaps when families move abroad. Hege-Kristin Hammer lived without schooling in Spain despite previous monitoring by authorities. Recent legal changes aim to prevent similar cross-border protection failures.
Hege-Kristin Hammer lived in distress in Spain for six months without attending school. Her mother moved the 9-year-old to Gran Canaria just before Christmas in 2007.
Child protection services in Bergen had monitored Hege-Kristin since she was four years old. Her mother had previously lost custody of other children. Still, no one stopped the relocation to Spain.
Everyone should have understood that mother's problems would only worsen in the south, Hege-Kristin said. She hopes child protection systems have improved to catch children experiencing neglect.
André van der Heide leads Kjøkkelvik School in Bergen where Hege-Kristin attended before moving abroad. He declined to discuss her specific case but addressed current procedures.
Schools cannot prevent parents from withdrawing children to move overseas, Heide stated in an email. This happens almost every year with families leaving mid-school term.
Bergen schools maintain attendance records and contact child services when parents become unreachable. The threshold for reporting concerns remains high, requiring evidence of serious neglect.
No automatic alerts trigger when children leave school, whether moving within Norway or abroad. International moves create additional barriers for authorities to share information and monitor children's welfare.
When concerns arise about children suddenly moving overseas, schools involve child protection services. Then child services, not schools, must pursue the matter.
Bergen's child and family department called Hege-Kristin's experience of serious neglect in Spain deeply regrettable. Authorities in 2008 lacked legal frameworks to provide necessary protection after her move abroad.
Could this happen today? Legal frameworks for cross-border child protection have improved, according to department director Rønnaug Frøiland.
Norway signed the Hague Convention in 2016, enabling international cooperation on child protection cases. Child services now have equal reporting duties for children moving abroad as for those moving between Norwegian municipalities.
Concerns reported today from organizations like the Seamen's Church and schools would be forwarded to Spanish child protection authorities. The system aims to prevent similar cases of children falling through bureaucratic gaps during international relocations.
This case reveals how jurisdictional boundaries can compromise child safety, even in nations with strong welfare systems. The improvements since 2008 show recognition of these vulnerabilities.