According to the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (Ivo), the Child and Family Committee in Eslöv Municipality did not initiate an investigation concerning the boy, despite being aware that he was faring poorly. In early December 2022, the boy was found lifeless in an apartment. His father was later sentenced to prison for the murder.
Regarding the girl, Ivo finds that the committee did not investigate her situation quickly enough. The girl's parents were later convicted of giving their daughter life-threatening amounts of vinegar, holding her captive, and a range of other serious crimes.
Could it have been avoided?
Could the outcome have been different for the two children with a better functioning social service?
We cannot rule out that the outcome would have been different, that's what I think we can conclude, says Lars Rahm.
The criticism from the Health and Social Care Inspectorate targets the social service's slowness and passivity.
The investigation was too passive
The requirement for speed has been neglected. There have been deficiencies in the investigation itself, it has been too narrow and above all passive, says Lars Rahm.
The ultimately responsible are the elected politicians in the municipality's Child and Family Committee, he emphasizes. It is the committee that is responsible for follow-up and should function as a control mechanism.
This is a failure, it is a safety net that has broken, and it is here that society should stand behind and protect our most vulnerable, says Lars Rahm.
