"Pychologist Toni Single caused two severely disabled children - who were removed from the home of their foster carer on the grounds that she might be a "compulsive care giver" - are on the way home."
- Details
- Category: Foster Care
- Created: Wednesday, 15 April 2009 23:30
- Written by Caroline Overington
The Australian last week reported the case of the woman, a registered nurse, who lost the right to care for the children after a psychologist suggested she was deriving a worrying amount of satisfaction from her role as their carer.
Psychologist Toni Single said the woman might be a "compulsive care giver", meaning she was compelled to care for disabled children so that others would admire her.
The woman had cared for two girls for six years, and for a boy for two years.
All three children are confined to bed. They cannot walk, talk nor feed themselves.
Not-for-profit corporation Life Without Barriers, which employs the woman, said yesterday the girls would be returned to the woman's home. The boy is likely to stay in hospital.
The Australian understands his health is deteriorating.
The woman, who cannot be named because it may identify the children, had intended to take the matter to court. She converted her home into a facility for the three children, widening the hallways for the wheelchairs and installing a spa for water therapy.
Life Without Barriers chief executive Ray Dunn said the decision was "a good result for everyone concerned".
"We place the welfare and care of the children first," hesaid.
Mr Dunn said Life Without Barriers received $2049 per child per week from the Department of Community Services, most of which would be passed on to the carer and her support team.
