VIC Can Child Protection Force Kids to See Their Father?

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Alex797979

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2 July 2016
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Do DHS child protection have the powers to force kids to see their father or can this only be enforced by the family court?
 

Rod

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27 May 2014
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A bit of extra background would be useful. eg: who has custody, is mother trying to stop access, are they any existing court orders? etc
 

Alex797979

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2 July 2016
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A bit of extra background would be useful. eg: who has custody, is mother trying to stop access, are they any existing court orders? etc

Kids live with the mother. The mother doesn't stop access. Also doesn't force kids to see the father. The relationship involved domestic violence which is why eldest child refused to see their father. Now the younger child doesn't want a relationship with the father. No parental plan or parenting order in place.

Thanks in advance.
 

AllForHer

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23 July 2014
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How old are these kids?
 

AllForHer

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If there's no orders in place, there's no arrangements that the kids can be 'forced' to comply with. Even if there were orders, they're enforceable by the Court, not by DHS, so I guess the simple answer is 'no'.

DHS do, however, have some powers with respect to care for children under their protection. For example, if the child is taken from the mother and there's nothing stopping them from being placed with the father, then DHS may place them into the care of the father accordingly.