Článek
The association Moms For Children advocates for the protection of the INTERESTS, RIGHTS, and NATURAL NEEDS of children in the Czech Republic. We are currently facing serious issues in the area of custody proceedings, where children’s rights are disrespected and harmed. These violations, where children (and primarily the caregiving parents) are systematically abused, drawn into divorce proceedings, and traumatized, have serious consequences on the emotional and physical health of children. These children are subjected not only to traumatizing court decisions but also to irresponsible and unprofessionally substantiated recommendations, as well as manipulative actions by the Child Protection Services (OSPOD). OSPODs and subsequently the courts are influenced by their own errors, which leads them to protect themselves, justify their nonsensical decisions with even more nonsensical arguments, and children become hostages of the Czech social system.
In custody proceedings, it is common for courts and OSPODs not to pay sufficient attention to the true needs of children, leading to the harm of their emotional and psychological well-being. Children are often unjustly separated from their primary caregivers (usually mothers, who gave birth to the children, cared for them for a long time, and have the essential and healthy maternal bond with the child, attachment), which causes long-term negative and complex health consequences such as deprivation, identity problems, self-awareness issues, and subsequent deep and lifelong psychological problems. These children are traumatized not only by physical events but also by the overall approach to family relationships, which is often based on unsupported, unjustified decisions. For example, the need for infants to have a so-called „on-demand“ mother (meaning a mother who is constantly present whenever the infant needs her) is ignored, despite the fact that this need is natural, normal, and its disregard is akin to a crime against humanity. Infants are placed in shared custody, and neither OSPODs nor courts address these errors, with false and unprofessional claims appearing in court documentation.
Our Mission: Active Change and Reform of Custody Processes
The goal of Moms For Children is not only to draw attention to this alarming situation but also to actively promote changes. We strive for a reassessment of the decision-making practice in custody proceedings and demand that courts and OSPODs truly respect the rights of children, their primary needs, and their interest in a stable, safe environment. We seek to ensure that the quality relationships that children already have are not disrupted or undermined by the interference of OSPODs and courts. Courts must stop making decisions based on insufficient, incomplete, unverified, and unprofessionally interpreted information, which harms not only children but also their caregivers, primarily mothers.
Our goal is to OPEN A DISCUSSION AND INFORM THE PUBLIC, take concrete steps toward actively changing the current practice. We want to address specific courts, OSPODs, and other relevant institutions, and publicly reveal the names of harmful social workers, court experts, and judges. This issue is not just a matter for lawyers and institutions but has significant impacts on human lives, which are dramatically changed by court decisions. We also criticize the criminalization of mothers, discrimination against mothers, and the degradation of mothers during custody proceedings, as well as the systemic lack of support for mothers in distress, who, due to insufficient state support, unfortunately lose their children (for example, when an abusive partner throws them and their children out onto the street, they have no place to sleep, and the state, represented by OSPOD, exploits this situation and takes the children from the care of this damaged mother into institutional care, or if the mother moves in with relatives in this critical situation, she is labeled a kidnapper, and the children are still taken).
We want to be active not only in raising awareness and bringing this issue to the broader public but also in education. The association is firmly convinced that without sufficient training and education for judges, OSPOD workers, and other responsible persons, we cannot achieve real change. Decisions that affect the fate of children must be well-supported, logical, and always in line with the principle that the child's best interest outweighs all other interests. A prime example of the absurdity of interventions in the Czech system is the forcible placement of children into institutional care with the aim of changing the child’s opinion even about highly abusive parents – even when the primary caregiver is exemplary, provides comprehensive care, is blameless, and the children love them above all. OSPODs openly justify such placements „into prison“ by saying the children will stay there until they change their opinion about the secondary caregiver – even if that caregiver has been and continues to be a danger to the children – and demand that the children be placed into the care of such a parent.
Link to Petition and Articles
To kick off our activities and clarify the need for change, we have started a petition for the protection of the rights and mental health of Czech children, available at the following link: Petition for the Protection of the Rights and Mental Health of Czech Children. Further information about this petition is available here. Signatures are especially desired at this citizen portal link. This petition highlights specific errors made by courts and OSPODs and calls for systematic changes to ensure a fairer and more child-friendly approach in custody proceedings.
You can also familiarize yourself with our opinions and analyses through articles regularly published by the founder Ing. Marie Peterová, MBA, Ph.D., on Medium.cz. Among other things, you will find detailed breakdowns and practical experiences showing how the system currently fails and what changes are necessary to protect children and parents. Articles are available at this link: Marie Souček Peterová on Medium.cz.
Our Vision: A Safe and Fair Environment for Children
The Moms For Children association believes that change is possible and that adopting new rules and measures can significantly improve the situation of children who have become part of custody proceedings. We believe that justice and safety for children must come first. We call on everyone who is not afraid to stand against an unjust system to join us and support our efforts for a better and fairer Czech Republic, where children's rights are protected and prioritized.
If you share our values and wish to participate in change, please support us by signing the Petition for the Protection of the Rights and Mental Health of Czech Children and newly also by contributing to the association’s transparent account (6702163389/0800). We are ready to take action, address specific individuals and institutions, and bring real change in favor of our children and their future, supporting you in your efforts to protect your children.
Definition of Our Principles:
First Principle:
During custody proceedings, court decisions and the actions of OSPODs should not cause new trauma to the child or deepen existing trauma. The stability of the environment where the child feels well and thrives should not be disturbed by the custody process. Similarly, functional and beneficial relationships for the child, such as with the primary caregiver, should not be disrupted or harmed. On the contrary, such relationships should be protected.
Second Principle:
Interventions in the child’s life should only occur if they benefit the child and do not lead to harm to their health (psychological or physical). This is the basis of any civilized approach to human beings. In every such situation, emphasis is placed on ensuring that interventions bring maximum benefit and minimize risks and possible harm. The benefits must always outweigh the risks and damages.
Third Principle:
The benefit of the individual, and in this case, the child, must be above the benefit of any other individual, entity, or society. It is not acceptable for a child to be harmed or hurt for the benefit of someone else or to achieve some societal goal (for example, placing a child in the care of an abusive father, so that this sexual deviant or domestic abuser pays a lower child support). This principle expresses an important and irrefutable stance, which must be the basis for any decisions about the fate of children. This principle is reflected in the basic principle of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states:
„…The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts, administrative authorities, or legislative bodies…“ (Convention on the Rights of the Child 104/1991 Sb.)
These principles form the basis of our activities for fair custody proceedings, where children’s interests always come first, and their right to a stable and safe environment is protected and respected.
The Moms For Children association wants to contribute to a more just social system in the Czech Republic, help prevent systemic harm to children, and provide psychological support primarily to caregiving parents and their children, who are being devastated by the Czech social system.
References:
https://www.petice.com/za_ochranu_prav_a_psychickeho_zdravi_eskych_dti#form
https://gov.cz/e-petice/1020-za-ochranu-prav-a-psychickeho-zdravi-ceskych-deti?fbclid=IwY2×jawIHkEFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHY-69ds3oNZT_ROr7ZfafA3tBuKkq09_SWqyYMCV1×ra42UhDtNY7DFlHQ_aem_hqBp_eZcsA3rCK_Gw3YpIw
https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/domaci-za-spatnou-praci-socialky-dostala-matka-odskodneni-40038024
https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-kauzy-bili-deti-trhali-jim-vlasy-socialka-nezakrocila-urednika-ted-obzalovali-272480
www.momsforchildren.com
https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/archiv/socialni-pracovnice-ktera-nevidela-tyrani-dominika-stoji-pred-soudem-262548
https://www.idnes.cz/praha/zpravy/socialni-pracovnice-dohled-rodina-deti-valerie-zmizeni-tyrani.A220430_092709_praha-zpravy_iri
