Mothers and the child protection system

Child protection intervention has increased dramatically in Australia and elsewhere over recent years. The increased intervention has left many parents, especially mothers, feeling bewildered, confused, and distrustful of the legal system. There has been limited research conducted about the experience of mothers involved in legal processes associated with child protection intervention. Drawing on information gathered from focus group discussions with workers who support mothers in child protection interventions, this article explores the role of parent advocates in the child protection sphere. The article concludes that parents should be supported by an advocate at all levels of the child protection intervention process and where this is not possible, strong information sharing protocols should be developed