We’re still hard at work on The Stealing of Emily Book 5! It was due this year, but so much has happened that we need to include. It’s now set for release in 2025. We wanted a happy ending, but that may have to wait—our story also needs government agencies to act within the law.
“Emily was forcibly and traumatically dragged out of contact with her father, screaming in distress, by a ruthless social work system led by the Children’s Director. The decision to sever this bond was made without regard for Emily’s well-being or her father’s rights, and the emotional toll it took on both of them is immeasurable. This harsh intervention has now been revealed to be part of a larger pattern of unethical conduct. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) in Victoria has uncovered evidence that the Children’s Director was involved in the deliberate destruction of crucial documents within his office, further exposing the systemic corruption and lack of accountability in the child protection system.
The destruction of these documents raises serious concerns about the integrity of the decisions made in Emily’s case. It strongly suggests that the system, rather than working to protect children, may have been actively working to conceal its own failures and avoid scrutiny. This not only compounds the emotional harm done to Emily and her father but also highlights the systemic issues that need to be urgently addressed to ensure justice and transparency in child protection procedures.”
Books in the series already cover a wide range of topics.
There is far to much to say about these books, but critics have claimed the series
“The Stealing of Emily captures the raw, gritty reality of a legal system shrouded in secrecy, where innocence is caught in a web of moral complexities and questionable justice. With shades of Huckleberry Finn but with a darker, more unsettling twist, this series explores how hidden legal mechanisms impact families, leaving readers to wrestle with questions of innocence, integrity, and consequence. A compelling journey into the shadowed corners of law, The Stealing of Emily dares to expose truths that others may prefer remain hidden.
The Truth Commission has produced a report which had the following findings:
Violation of Article 8
Violation of respect for private and family life was outlined in parents/families having unfairly limited access to their child. The commission found that:
- 93% of respondent families said that they did not receive the support they asked for, either from their local authority or other services
- 90% of respondents said they were not offered support by their local authority for the issue that led to their child being removed
- 94% of respondents said their contact was unjustly denied or restricted
- 86% of respondents said that they were not told they could apply for post-adoption contact
- 76% of respondents said they were not given information about parental responsibility during the life of their family’s case
Violation of Article 6
Violation of the right to a fair and public hearing was reflected by a complex and sometimes hostile justice system:
- 69% of respondents said their legal representation was not fair, supportive or independent
- 62% said they were not given access to the relevant documents and information used to decide that their child should be removed from their care
- 82% said that the court did not receive or hear all the available information about their case
Violation of Article 14
The right to protection from discrimination was also violated, with the commission finding that:
- 67% of respondent families said that their mental health was used as evidence to say they were unable to care for their child
- Of the 93% of parents who said they were treated unfairly or badly by child welfare professionals or services, a significant number of parents said their poor treatment was rooted in discrimination such as:
- Following a complaint made about the service they received (73%)
- Mental health (54%)
- Social background (39%)
- Financial situation (36%)
- Disability (35%)
- Gender (34%)
One parent who was quoted in the report spoke of their experience. They said: “My child died, I asked for help, and they took all my other children away.”
You can read this report online here.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments if this interests you, or leave a review if you’ve read the book!