493. Holmegaardshuset

Holmegaardshuset is located in Fensmark on the southern part of Sealand in Denmark. Recently it was in the Danish newspapers due to criticism not investigated fully by the social services at they are supposed to according to Danish legislation. It was also noticed that they worked together with the controversial psychologist Finn Westh who has been suspected of doctoring investigations of parents and children in cases the social services really wanted to get a report which supported their case when a case involving the removal of a child is going before court.

There is a reason for strict supervisions of group homes like Holmegaardshuset. Previously there have been cases of abuse. Only strict supervision has shown to reduce the risk of such abuse. That is the reason that every report must be followed up to the letter.

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2021 Update

More recent articles have shown cases of conflict of interest. Case workers who while they were working in the public sector saw to that children were placed at the group home was then hired by the group seemingly because they secured income to the group home.

Reports about the families of the children who had children placed at the group were seemingly doctored to make the families look worse in shape.

Some focus has shifted to the social service departments using group homes like Holmegaardshuset. Are they are aware what they use the taxpayers money for. Some of they try to avoid responsibility by referring to other public departments.

It cannot be fun to be there as a teenager.

Sources:

• Usande rapporter skyld i tvangsfjernelse af børnene (Sjællandske Nyheder – article in Danish language)
• Opholdssted beskyldes for manipulation – fremstiller familier ‘dårligere’ end de er (TV2 Lorry – article in Danish language)
• Sagsbehandler sendte familier til kritiseret opholdssted: Nu er hun ansat samme sted (Sjællandske Nyheder – article in Danish language)
• Spørgsmål og svar om Holmegaardshuset (Stevns Bladet – article in Danish language)
• Svar: Vi afventer tilsynsrapport om Holmegaardshuset (Stevns Bladet – article in Danish language)