According to DR, two-year-old Ida was forced to move to a new foster family just four days after meeting them, despite recommendations from authorities for longer adjustment periods before the final move.
A shocking story about a sudden breakup
Ida was taken from her mother as an infant and was taken in by Sisser Weinreich and her husband as part of temporary care, with the understanding that foster parents would later adopt her. Sorø Kommune stipulated that the child should move to her new family four days after meeting them, although the time was too short for the child to forget the ties with the family she was used to.
Painful farewell moments
In the new documentary “When the State Adopts by Force,” Sisser Weinreich recounts how Ida clung to her neck the moment her potential adoptive parents arrived. “She was clinging to me like a little monkey,” she says. “I thought we had to get it over with quickly because standing there was making her suffer. We struggled to get her into the car, and she screamed and screamed and screamed. It was awful.”.
DR confirmed that they chose the name Ida for the child to protect her privacy, and that her real name is being withheld. This detail was revealed as part of a new documentary series exploring the stories of children forced into frequent changes in their family environments.
Psychologist warns of harm
Jytte Mielcke, a child psychologist and children's counselor in several municipalities, stressed that such a short induction period is harmful to the child, explaining: "A two-year-old child suddenly removed from a family they are used to will show strong emotional reactions of crying, sadness and helplessness. We are severing emotional ties that will affect their future ability to build close relationships.".
Agreement with professional warnings
Sandra Abild, a social worker, former childcare manager, and the child's mother's liaison, supported the previous views, adding: "All logic says that a two-year-old cannot form a new relationship in which they feel safe and secure in four days. It is unfair to treat a child who is expressing strong reactions to the transition from everything they know in four days.".
Contrary to official recommendations
The four-day period contradicts the recommendations of the Adoptionsnævnet Council, which recommended in 2022 that the cautious transition period should be at least 14 days. The Viso social counseling unit, under the supervision of the Social Affairs and Housing Authority, also recommended that children in Ida's case should be given 3-5 weeks to adjust, including days off to accommodate the development of belonging to the previous foster family.
Suru municipality remained silent regarding the question
When DR inquired with Sorø Kommune about the details of Ida's short adjustment period, the municipality declined to comment on the specific case, merely stating that forced adoptions are serious issues with no easy solutions, according to DR.
Sleepless nights and screams
Sisser Weinreich suffered from severe insomnia for several nights after Ida moved out, as she would wake up repeatedly and hear the baby's screams in her dreams. She says: "I felt fear, terror, and sadness through that screaming. It was horrifying.".
The memory of the child lives on despite the passage of a year.
Now, more than a year has passed since Ida moved in with her new family. Sisser Weinreich and her husband met with the child's new parents and found nothing wrong with them. Meanwhile, the Sorø Kommune municipality has decided to maintain contact between Ida and her former foster family. Sisser Weinreich notes that the child still cherishes their memories, saying, "I think we remain etched in her heart.".
