CEDH · CASELAW;JUDGMENTS;CHAMBER;ENG — 24 mars 1988

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text-align:right } .sA918FEC8 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:14.4pt } .s523616E0 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; font-size:14pt } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt }       COURT (PLENARY)             CASE OF OLSSON v. SWEDEN (No. 1)   (Application no. 10465/83)             JUDGMENT       STRASBOURG   24 March 1988 In the Olsson case [] , The European Court of Human Rights, taking its decision in plenary session in pursuance of Rule 50 of the Rules of Court and composed of the following judges:   Mr.   R. Ryssdal , President ,   Mr.   J. Cremona ,   Mr.   Thór Vilhjálmsson ,   Mr.   G. Lagergren ,   Mr.   F. Gölcüklü ,   Mr.   F. Matscher ,   Mr.   J. Pinheiro Farinha ,   Mr.   L.-E. Pettiti ,   Mr.   B. Walsh ,   Sir   Vincent Evans ,   Mr.   R. Macdonald ,   Mr.   C. Russo ,   Mr.   R. Bernhardt ,   Mr.   A. Spielmann ,   Mr.   J. De Meyer , and also of Mr. M.-A. Eissen , Registrar , and Mr. H. Petzold , Deputy Registrar , Having deliberated in private on 23 September 1987 and 25 February 1988, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on the last-mentioned date: PROCEDURE 1.    The case was referred to the Court by the European Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") on 13 March 1987 and by the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden ("the Government") on 13 April 1987, within the three-month period laid down by Article 32 § 1 and Article 47 (art. 32-1, art. 47) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ("the Convention"). The case originated in an application (no. 10465/83) against the Kingdom of Sweden lodged with the Commission on 10 June 1983 under Article 25 (art. 25) by two Swedish citizens, Mr. Stig and Mrs. Gun Olsson. The Commission’s request referred to Articles 44 and 48 (art. 44, art. 48) and to the declaration whereby Sweden recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court (Article 46) (art. 46); its purpose was to obtain a decision as to whether the facts of the case disclosed a breach by the respondent State of its obligations under Articles 3, 6, 8, 13 and 14 (art. 3, art. 6, art. 8, art. 13, art. 14) of the Convention and Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 (P1-2). The Government’s application sought the Court’s ruling on the interpretation of Article 8 (art. 8) of the Convention in relation to those facts. 2.    In response to the inquiry made in accordance with Rule 33 § 3 (d) of the Rules of Court, the applicants stated that they wished to take part in the proceedings pending before the Court and designated the lawyer who would represent them (Rule 30). 3.    The Chamber of seven judges to be constituted included, as ex officio members, Mr. G. Lagergren, the elected judge of Swedish nationality (Article 43 of the Convention) (art. 43), and Mr. R. Ryssdal, the President of the Court (Rule 21 § 3 (b)). On 23 April 1987, the President drew by lot, in the presence of the Registrar, the names of the five other members, namely Mr. Thór Vilhjálmsson, Mrs. D. Bindschedler-Robert, Mr. R. Macdonald, Mr. R. Bernhardt and Mr. J.A. Carrillo Salcedo (Article 43 in fine of the Convention and Rule 21 § 4) (art. 43). 4.    On 25 June 1987, the Chamber decided under Rule 50 to relinquish jurisdiction forthwith in favour of the plenary Court. 5.    Having consulted, through the Registrar, the Agent of the Government, the Commission’s Delegate and the applicants’ lawyer regarding the need for a written procedure, the President of the Court decided, on 2 July 1987, that it was not necessary for memorials to be filed (Rule 37 § 1) and directed that the oral proceedings should open on 21 September 1987 (Rule 38). 6.    The hearing was held in public in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on the appointed day. The Court had held a preparatory meeting immediately beforehand. There appeared before the Court: - for the Government   Mr. H. Corell , Ambassador,       Under-Secretary for Legal and Consular Affairs, Ministry       for Foreign Affairs,   Agent ,   Mr. K. Rundqvist , Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs,       Ministry of Health and Social Affairs,   Mr. P. Boqvist , Legal Adviser,       Ministry for Foreign Affairs,   Mrs. A.-M. Holmstedt , Legal Adviser,       Gothenburg Municipality,   Advisers ; - for the Commission   Mrs. G.H. Thune ,   Delegate ; - for the applicants   Mrs. S. Westerberg , lawyer,   Counsel . The Court heard addresses by Mr. Corell for the Government, by Mrs. Thune for the Commission and by Mrs. Westerberg for the applicants, as well as their replies to the questions put by the Court and its President. 7.    On 27 July 1987, the applicants had lodged their claims for just satisfaction under Article 50 (Rule 49), which they supplemented with further particulars on 19 October. Written comments on those claims were received from the Government on 7 September and 23 November 1987 and from the Commission on 15 December 1987. On 3 September and 16 November 1987, the Government, either on their own initiative or at the Court’s request, filed various documents. AS TO THE FACTS I.    PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE A. Background 8.    The applicants, Mr. Stig and Mrs. Gun Olsson, who are husband and wife, were born in 1941 and 1944 respectively. They are Swedish citizens and live in Gothenburg in Sweden. The case concerns three children of the marriage, namely Stefan, born in June 1971, Helena, born in December 1976, and Thomas, born in January 1979 (hereinafter together referred to as "the children"). The applicants and the children belong to the Church of Sweden; the applicants’ membership is purely nominal, as they describe themselves as atheists. 9.    In their youth, both Mr. and Mrs. Olsson had spent some time at Stretered, a home for the mentally retarded. However, an examination by a psychologist in 1982 revealed that they then had an average level of intelligence. Other children of theirs had been in social care and Stefan has been subject to various forms of special education since 1975, when he was registered with the Social Welfare Administration for the Handicapped by reason of his being mentally retarded. Prior to the events giving rise to the present case, a number of different social authorities had been individually involved with the family; they co-ordinated their activities from 1979 onwards. Mr. Olsson - who is in receipt of a disability pension - and Mrs. Olsson were both given certain additional social assistance between 1971 and 1976. They stated that they lived apart on two occasions, the first time for three months and the second for eight months. From May 1977 to December 1979, they were provided with the support of a home-therapist, and a psychiatric team was in touch with the family as from 1979. It appears that the applicants had difficulty in co-operating with the social authorities. B. Taking of the children into public care and related judicial proceedings 10.    The family’s situation was discussed by representatives of the various social authorities concerned at case conferences held on 26 October 1979, 29 November 1979 and 10 January 1980. The applicants were present on the last occasion, when different preventive measures for the children were agreed upon. According to the Government, nothing came of this agreement because the applicants abandoned it. On 22 January 1980, Social District Council No. 6 in Gothenburg ("the Council") decided, pursuant to sections 25(a) and 26(4) of the Child Welfare Act 1960 (barnavårdslagen 1960:97 - "the 1960 Act"; see paragraphs 35 and 43 below), that the children should be placed under supervision in view of their parents’ inability to satisfy their need for care and supervision. 11.    Further case conferences, at which the applicants were present, were held on 13 March and 29 May 1980. On 22 August, at which time the parents were living apart, the Chairman of the Council decided, pursuant to section 30 of the 1960 Act (see paragraph 43 below), that the children should be provisionally taken into care so that their situation could be investigated. This decision, which had been prompted by the fact that Stefan and Helena had been found cycling around and unable to make their way home, was confirmed on 26 August by the Council after a meeting on the same day at which the applicants were present and made oral submissions. 12.    On 16 September 1980, the Council decided, at a meeting at which the applicants were present and had an opportunity to submit their views, that the children should be taken into care, pursuant to sections 25(a) and 29 of the 1960 Act (see paragraphs 35 and 43 below). This decision was based, inter alia, on a report compiled by the social administration and dated 11 September 1980, which was produced at the meeting. The report reviewed the family history and background; recorded the applicants’ opposition to the children’s being taken into care; concluded that the latter’s development was in danger since they were living in an environment which was unsatisfactory due to their parents’ inability to satisfy their need for care, stimulation and supervision; noted that preventive measures had been taken, but with no result; and recommended the taking into care. Appended to the report were statements from Stefan’s former teacher, from Child Welfare Clinic No. 60 (concerning Helena and Thomas) and from the home where the children had been placed for investigation, together with a medical report dated 12 September 1980 and issued by Children’s Psychiatric Clinic 2B at a hospital ("Östra sjukhuset") in Gothenburg. The medical report was signed by chief doctor Elisabeth Bosaeus, a consultant at the above-mentioned home, and by Helena Fagerberg-Moss, a psychologist, both of whom were members of the team that was in touch with the family. It read as follows (translation from the Swedish): "The above-mentioned children have been assessed at the children’s psychiatric clinic at Östra sjukhuset on 10 September 1980. Both parents have been summoned to separate doctor’s discussions but have not appeared. The family has been known at the children’s psychiatric clinic since October 1979, when the social worker requested observation and an assessment of the development of Thomas following his admittance to that clinic for pneumonia and an investigation for urinary infection. After referral from the doctor responsible, the assessment of Thomas’ development was made on 5 October 1979 by a psychologist, Helena Fagerberg-Moss. This psychologist and welfare officer (kurator) Birgitta Stéen thereafter participated in conferences at social welfare office no. 6 on 26 October and 29 November 1979 with all those involved in the case, concerning the supportive measures the family had received previously and for the planning of further measures. Social welfare office conferences, together with the parents, also took place on 10 January 1980, at which an application for a day-centre placement for Thomas and Helena was decided upon, and on 13 March and 29 May 1980, at which a holiday in a summer home or camp was planned for Helena and Stefan. During a home visit on 25 March 1980, Helena was also the subject of an assessment of her development by the psychologist Helena Fagerberg-Moss. Thomas was also the subject of a new assessment of his development on 11 September 1980. During Thomas’ stay at the hospital, welfare officer Birgitta Stéen had contact with the parents. I have taken note of the investigation report of 18 January 1980, with proposals concerning supervision, and the report of 26 August 1980, with proposals concerning a care order. I have also taken note of the children’s medical files. On 10 September 1980, Kerstin Lindsten, welfare officer at the school for retarded children, provided certain information by telephone concerning Stefan. It appears from the medical file that at the age of four months Stefan was admitted to the Gothenburg children’s hospital for assessment of his development and already at that stage he was found to be considerably retarded. At the age of six months he was retarded by two months. During a new test at the age of three years he was found to be at the developmental level of a 15 to 20 month old child. The psychologist Barbro Wikman considered him at that time to be passive, afraid and cautious. He was withdrawn and was most significantly retarded as regards his linguistic development. He was considered to be in great need of stimulation and the psychologist questioned whether there were sufficient opportunities for this in his home environment. He could not feed himself, could not run properly and he was not accustomed to playing with other children. According to the file, the parents were ‘not interested in taking him to a special play-centre’. On 4 May 1976, it was noted that he never had cooked food, could not construct sentences, did not play outside, cried easily, could feed himself but did it rarely, and seemed pale and lethargic. Stefan now attends the third year in a school for the retarded. It appears that he is one of the weakest pupils. At the beginning of his time at this school, the home conditions appeared to be acceptable since the family had a home-therapist. Subsequently, however, there were alarming reports that Stefan ran around outside and was often taken care of by the police. He could not control his urine and bowels, was teased by his friends because he smelled badly, and he was even undressed by them, according to the school welfare officer Kerstin Lindsten. Food problems have also occurred, according to the school nurse. Stefan mostly ate only sandwiches. The boy is short-sighted and needs to wear glasses, but he does not do so. Since the parents have also had difficulties in supervising and caring for Stefan, different ways of placing him have been discussed. A placement in an educational home appeared to be a good solution, but the parents withdrew at the last moment. Placement in a foster home has also been proposed, but the father reacted with depressive symptoms and kept the boy at home and away from school. During a medical assessment on 10 September 1980 Stefan gave the impression of being very retarded in his development but, in addition, he was cut off in his personal contacts, did not hear questions, did not treat play material in an adequate manner and seemed to have a limited concentration and attention span. His behaviour was clumsy. He could not write his own name and, when drawing with a pencil, he folded the paper at an angle of 90 o . He did not wear his glasses. During a development assessment in her home on 25 March 1980, carried out by Helena Fagerberg-Moss, Helena Olsson attained a level comparable to that expected of her age. During a visit to the children’s welfare clinic, however, Helena was considered passive, looked afraid and had an undeveloped use of language. She has been going to a clinic since September 1979 for stomach problems, but this has not led to any measure being taken. During an assessment on 10 September 1980 she was shy when there were several persons in the same room, did not say anything and behaved as a mother towards Thomas, giving him toys and embracing him now and then. The same behaviour has been noted at the children’s home. Thomas’ development has been assessed on 5 October 1979 and 11 September 1980 by Helena Fagerberg-Moss. During the first assessment he was somewhat below the level of development which was expected and was also somewhat passive and withdrawn in his contacts. During the second assessment he was seriously quiet, cautious and his face was without expression. His development was four to six months behind. His language (at the age of 20 months) corresponded to a degree of development of a six to eight month old child. He became clearly stimulated by play and test material and seemed to have development potential. He gave a clear impression that he had not received sufficient stimulation at home. In the medical file it has been noted in August 1979 that the mother’s way of feeding Thomas was clearly abnormal. She held the feeding bottle at a distance and, even after having been asked to pick him up, there was no natural close contact. At the children’s home it has been observed that the father still treats Thomas as a baby. In summary, Stefan, Helena and Thomas are three children whose parents have been registered as being retarded. The father has retired early. In addition, the parents’ inter-relations are bad. They have separated for a long period and are now separated again. The family has moved four times in two and a half years. Stefan and Thomas show clear signs of backwardness, probably of different origins. Furthermore, there is a lack of care for the children on the part of the parents, and the children’s behaviour is disturbed. Stefan has had enuresis and encopresis, feeding difficulties, social difficulties with other children and has shown vagrancy tendencies. His special need of clean clothes, glasses (he is myopic), and extra care and stimulation because of his backwardness, has not been met by his parents. The linguistic development of all the children is retarded. Such backwardness is the most frequent sign of under-stimulation. Helena, who is of average intelligence, is inclined to take too great a responsibility for her brother Thomas. Thomas has not had any opportunity of adequate training either physically or psychologically. Since measures taken up to now in the form of a home-therapist, day-care nursery-home placement, supervision, etc. have not improved the situation, we recommend that Stefan, Helena and Thomas be taken into care and be given foster homes." The applicants alleged that, before this medical report was prepared, Dr. Bosaeus had never met them and had never visited their home. They also complained of the fact that she did not herself examine the children until 10 September 1980, after they had been placed in care for investigation on 22 August 1980; at that time they were in a state of shock as a result of violent police action on their removal from their home and of their completely new environment. It appears, however, that the psychologist Helena Fagerberg-Moss assessed Thomas on 5 October 1979 and had visited the parents’ home on 25 March 1980, when she assessed the development of Helena. 13.    Since the applicants did not consent to the Council’s decision of 16 September 1980, the matter was submitted, pursuant to section 24 of the 1960 Act (see paragraph 44 below), to the County Administrative Court (länsrätten) at Gothenburg. It held a hearing on 18 December 1980, at which Mrs. Olsson was represented by a lawyer under the Legal Aid Act (rättshjälpslagen) and the children by official counsel (offentligt biträde); Dr. Bosaeus was heard as an expert. By judgment of 30 December 1980, the County Administrative Court confirmed the Council’s decision. It stated (translation from the Swedish): "It appears from the investigation of the case that the children, Stefan, Helena and Thomas, who all place specially high demands on those who care for them, have for several years been living in an unsatisfactory home environment as a result of the parents’ inability to satisfy the children’s need of care, stimulation and supervision. Stefan and Thomas disclose a clear retardation in their development and all three children are backward in language development. According to Dr. Bosaeus, who issued a medical report on 12 September 1980 and was heard as an expert in the oral proceedings, there is a great risk that Helena will develop negatively if she stays in the parents’ home. It is therefore as important to place her in a foster home as it is for Stefan and Thomas. Dr. Bosaeus has accordingly recommended taking the three children into care. Preventive measures with a home-therapist have been tried for several years and supervision has been arranged without any resulting improvement. It must therefore be considered as proved that the health and development of the children are jeopardised as a result of the parents’ present inability to give them satisfactory care and education. The decision submitted is therefore compatible with the provisions in section 25(a) and section 29 of the 1960 Act." 14.    Mrs. Olsson appealed to the Administrative Court of Appeal in Gothenburg (kammarrätten; see paragraph 50 below); her husband concurred in the appeal. The Council and official counsel for the children moved that the appeal be rejected. The Administrative Court of Appeal held a hearing and then, on 8 July 1981, confirmed the judgment of the County Administrative Court. However, one of the three judges and one of the two laymen sitting in the Court of Appeal, whilst agreeing with the taking of Helena into care, dissented as regards Stefan and Thomas. 15.    Mrs. Olsson sought to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court (regeringsrätten; see paragraph 50 below), but on 27 August 1981 it refused her leave to appeal. C. Implementation of the care decisions 1. Placement of the children 16.    On 22 August 1980, following the decision of the Chairman of the Council (see paragraph 11 above), the children were placed in a children’s home in Gothenburg for an investigation of their situation. They remained there until their subsequent placement in separate homes, as described below. (a) Stefan 17.    Around 1 October 1980, the applicants removed Stefan from the children’s home and hid him for approximately one month. He was then placed in an educational home in Gothenburg run by the Board for the Retarded, but his parents again took him away and hid him for about two months. As from 28 February 1981, Stefan was placed, with the assistance of the police, with a foster family of the name of Ek - where he had previously spent some summers - at Tibro, approximately 100 kilometers from the applicants’ home. By decision of 28 June 1983, prompted by conflicts between the natural and the foster parents, the Council moved Stefan to a children’s home, Viggen, at Vänersborg, which was run by the Board for the Retarded and situated about 80 kilometers to the north of Gothenburg. (b) Helena and Thomas 18.    Helena and Thomas were placed in separate foster homes - Helena with the Larsson family at Näsåker, in the vicinity of the town of Hudiksvall, on 21 October 1980 and Thomas with the Bäckius family at Maråker, south of Söderhamn, on 10 November 1980. These localities, which lie to the north-east of Gothenburg, are about 100 kilometers from each other. The distances by road from Hudiksvall and Söderhamn to Gothenburg are 637 and 590 kilometers, respectively (see M·KAK, Bilatlas, Sverige, 1981). 19.    The Government stated that the original intention had been to place Helena and Thomas with separate families in the same village, but that this had proved impossible at the last minute. They added that the Larsson and Bäckius families were in continuous contact, gave each other much support and met, together with Helena and Thomas, approximately every six weeks. 20.    Thomas’ foster parents and their own children are members of the Church of Sweden and attended church with him - regularly, according to the applicants, or two or three times a year, according to the foster parents. 2. Restrictions on the applicants’ access to the children 21.    Since the children were taken into care, their parents’ access to them has been the subject of various decisions, including the following. (a) Stefan 22.    Stefan spent some three to four weeks with his parents in the summer of 1982. However, on 10 August 1982 the Council decided, pursuant to section 16(1) of the 1980 Act (see paragraph 48 below), to limit their access to him to one visit every six weeks. They appealed to the County Administrative Court, but on 17 November 1982 it confirmed the restrictions (see paragraph 28 below). 23.    After 22 April 1984, Mr. and Mrs. Olsson were allowed to see Stefan every week, mostly at their home. He spent some weeks with them in the summer of 1986. (b) Helena and Thomas 24.    On 21 October 1980, the Council decided to ban access by the applicants to Helena and Thomas at their foster homes, in accordance with section 41 of the 1960 Act (see paragraph 48 below), and to prohibit disclosure of their whereabouts. However, the applicants were allowed to meet the children elsewhere, every second month. The decision was designed to protect the children’s chances of settling down and was prompted by the fact that Stefan had previously been removed from his home and hidden by his parents (see paragraph 17 above). The foregoing restriction was lifted in September 1981, but in February 1983 the Council decided, having regard to the attitude of confrontation adopted by the applicants towards the foster parents, to confine the former’s contacts with Helena and Thomas to one visit at the foster homes every third month. This new restriction was confirmed by the County Administrative Court, on appeal, on 25 March 1983 and again by the Council in decisions of 2 August 1983, 6 December 1983 and 30 October 1984. On 3 October 1985, the County Administrative Court dismissed an appeal by the applicants against the last-mentioned decision; they withdrew their appeal on this point in subsequent proceedings before the Administrative Court of Appeal (see paragraph 31 below) and the restriction therefore continued in force for the remainder of the period during which these children were in public care. 25.    According to Mr. and Mrs. Olsson, Helena and Thomas were permitted to visit the family home only once - in 1982 - whilst they were in care, for a few hours and under the strict supervision of the foster mothers and one or two social workers. The applicants added that they were allowed to visit these children only a couple of times a year, under the supervision of social workers, teachers or foster parents; it appears that as time went by they tended to avoid such visits, which they considered humiliating, notably on account of the visiting conditions. The material before the Court reveals that Mr. and/or Mrs. Olsson saw Helena and Thomas in March 1981 at a neutral place in Gothenburg; in September 1981 at their foster homes; in December 1981 at Stefan’s foster home; and just before Easter 1982 at Helena’s foster home. The Commission’s report contains a more general statement to the effect that the applicants met the two younger children "three times a year during the first years". The applicants do not appear to have paid any visits to them between June 1984 and the spring of 1987. 3. Attitude of the applicants 26.    Before the Commission, the Government referred to problems that had arisen as regards co-operation between the applicants on the one hand and the children’s foster parents and the social authorities on the other (see paragraphs 100, 101, 109, 110 and 111 of the Commission’s report). The applicants’ submissions to the Commission on this point are summarised as follows: "That the applicants would co-operate with the social workers is completely unthinkable. The action of these social workers is completely in conflict with the applicants’ own understanding of how children and adults and family members and others ought to show respect and consideration. ... It must be added that if the applicants were to co-operate with the foster parents and the social workers they would risk passing on to their children the totally wrong impression that the separation of children and parents and the placement of the children in foster homes had occurred with the consent of the applicants. This would be completely disastrous to the self-respect of the applicants’ children if they had the wrong impression that their natural parents did not wish them to be at home with them." (ibid., paragraph 80 in fine)   D. Requests for termination of care 27.    Following a request by the applicants for termination of the care of the children, a meeting was held on 1 June 1982 at the Council’s office, at which the applicants, their lawyer and official counsel for the children were present. On the same day, the Council rejected the request. It based its decision on reports compiled by the social administration and dated 24, 25 and 26 May 1982, which concluded that the parents were then incapable of giving the children the necessary support and encouragement. Annexed to the reports were statements from the psychologist Helena Fagerberg-Moss, social workers and a school teacher, indicating that the children had made satisfactory progress since being taken into care. 28.    The applicants thereupon appealed to the County Administrative Court. It held a hearing on 4 November 1982, at which the applicants were present and assisted by a lawyer; the Council was represented by a lawyer and two social workers and the children by official counsel. Dr. Bosaeus and a social expert from the County Administrative Board (länsstyrelsen; see paragraph 41 below) gave evidence - the former at the request of the applicants’ lawyer - and various written opinions from a psychologist, a welfare officer, a school teacher of Stefan and his school doctor were read out. The President of the Court also summarised the documents on which the Council’s decision had been based. The applicants submitted that the medical report of 12 September 1980 (see paragraph 12 above) contained clearly false information, by affirming that they were mentally retarded, and did not indicate any concrete facts showing that the children would have been in danger if they had continued to live with their parents. The Council, for its part, asserted that its refusal to terminate care had been based not on the applicants’ being mentally retarded but on their inability to satisfy the children’s need for care, stimulation and supervision. In its judgment of 17 November 1982, the County Administrative Court, in addition to confirming the restrictions on parental access to Stefan (see paragraph 22 above), held as follows (translation from the Swedish): "The facts of the case show that the children suffered to a greater or lesser extent from different types of disturbance when they were taken into care. Stefan was disturbed in his development at a level comparable to special lower class. Following the placement in a foster home, his social abilities have improved and his language development has accelerated. His incontinence has to a large extent disappeared. In the special lower school Stefan has developed favourably having regard to his abilities. As regards Helena and Thomas, they have developed favourably in the foster homes. The assessment of these two children’s psychological development undertaken in the spring of 1982 shows that the previous delays and disturbances have now been caught up or have disappeared, and that their development is now completely at the same level as that to be expected for their age. As far as the applicants are concerned, their circumstances seem to have stabilised in recent times. Thus, the couple moved from Angered in January 1981 and since then have been living in a more child-adapted environment in the community of Ale. The dispute which prevailed in the marriage at the time when the children were taken into care has been overcome, and it seems now as if the relations between the applicants are better. Following a request from their representative, the applicants have been examined by psychologist Gudrun Olsson from Gothenburg. This investigation shows that both applicants have an average level of intelligence. Under section 5 of the 1980 Act [see paragraph 49 below], the decisive issue in determining whether care under the Act in question should be terminated is whether it is no longer necessary. Facts such as the apparent improvement and stabilising of the applicants’ situation and the children’s favourable development in their foster homes are an argument in favour of the termination of care. However, there are several circumstances militating in the opposite direction. Stefan, who during 1982 has had several permissions to visit the parents’ home, has been disturbed in various ways upon his return to the foster home and has relapsed into his previous negative behaviour. Stefan’s return trip to the foster home on 28 June 1982 does not seem to have been well planned and it developed in an unfortunate way for him. In addition, the applicants have so far had difficulties in co-operating in a satisfactory manner with Stefan’s foster home and the Social Council. In making an assessment of all the facts of the case, the Court finds that the applicants still show a lack of comprehension and ability to give the children satisfactory care and education. It must therefore be feared that a termination of care under the Act can at present involve great risks for the health and development of the children. Care is therefore to continue and the appeal is rejected." 29.    The applicants then appealed to the Administrative Court of Appeal. After a hearing on 20 December 1982, at which they were present and assisted by counsel, the appeal was dismissed on 28 December 1982. The applicants had unsuccessfully requested that Dr. Bosaeus be called as a witness at the hearing. Mr. and Mrs. Olsson sought to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, but on 11 March 1983 it refused them leave to appeal. 30.    A fresh request by the applicants to the Council for termination of the care of the children was refused on 6 December 1983. 31.    On 30 October 1984 and 17 September 1985, the Council rejected further requests by the applicants for termination of the care of Helena and Thomas and of Stefan, respectively; on the first of these dates it also declined to lift the restriction on visits to Helena and Thomas (see paragraph 24 above). Appeals by the parents against these decisions were dismissed by the County Administrative Court on 3 October 1985 and 3 February 1986, respectively. The applicants thereupon appealed to the Administrative Court of Appeal, which joined the two cases. After holding a hearing at which Mr. and Mrs. Olsson were present and gave evidence, the Administrative Court of Appeal, by judgment of 16 February 1987, directed that the public care of Stefan be terminated: it took into consideration his recent positive development, his parents’ increased understanding of his needs and their agreement that he should complete his current term of schooling at Vänersborg (see paragraph 17 above). However, the appeal concerning Helena and Thomas - the scope of which was confined by Mr. and Mrs. Olsson themselves at the hearing to the care issue, to the exclusion of the access issue - was dismissed. The Administrative Court of Appeal’s opinion that the public care of these two children should continue was based primarily on the fact that the applicants were unable to understand and satisfy the special needs arising in connection with re-uniting parents and children after so long a period of separation. Following an appeal by the parents, the Supreme Administrative Court, by judgment of 18 June 1987, directed that the public care of Helena and Thomas should terminate, there being no sufficiently serious circumstances to warrant its continuation. The Supreme Administrative Court pointed out that the question to be determined in deciding whether care should be discontinued pursuant to section 5 of the 1980 Act (see paragraph 49 below) was whether there was still a need for care. The problems associated with the removal of a child from a foster home and its possible detrimental effects on him and with his reunification with his natural parents - on which the Administrative Court of Appeal had relied - were matters to be considered not under section 5 but in separate proceedings, namely an investigation under section 28 of the Social Services Act 1980 (socialtjänstlagen 1980:620). The latter section empowers a Social District Council to prohibit, for a certain period of time or until further notice, the removal from a foster home of a minor who is not or is no longer in public care, if there is thereby a risk, which is not of a minor nature, of harming his physical or mental health. 32.    Stefan is now reunited with his parents. However, on 23 June 1987 the Council, acting pursuant to section 28 of the Social Services Act 1980, prohibited them until further notice from removing Helena and Thomas from their respective foster homes. An application by Mr. and Mrs. Olsson for the interim suspension of this prohibition was refused by the County Administrative Court on 25 June 1987; this decision was confirmed by the Administrative Court of Appeal on 2 July 1987 and, on 17 August 1987, the Supreme Administrative Court refused leave to appeal. On 3 November 1987, the County Administrative Court rejected on the merits the applicants’ appeal against the prohibition; it expressed the opinion that "a prohibition against removal should not be valid for too long a period" and that "a precondition for the rescission of the prohibition ... is that efforts should be made to improve contacts between the parents and children, both through Mr. and Mrs. Olsson and through the Social District Council". According to information supplied to the European Court by the Government on 16 November 1987, an appeal by the applicants to the Administrative Court of Appeal against this judgment was then pending; in the meantime, they remained free to visit Helena and Thomas at the foster homes. II.    RELEVANT DOMESTIC LAW A. Introduction 33.    According to Swedish child-welfare legislation, each municipality is responsible for promoting the favourable development of children and young persons by taking, if necessary, supportive or preventive measures (see paragraph 43 below). It may also take a child into care and place him in a foster home, a children’s home or another suitable institution. The legislation divides measures of the latter kind into two categories: the first concerns "voluntary care", enabling a parent to place his child into the care of a local authority; the second provides for "compulsory care", by establishing machinery whereby a local authority can obtain a court decision or order committing a child to its care. It was recourse to this machinery that was in issue in the present case. 34.    Decisions concerning the applicants’ children were taken under the 1960 Act and under the Act containing Special Provisions on the Care of Young Persons 1980 (lag 1980: 621 med särskilda bestämmelser om vård av unga - "the 1980 Act"). The 1980 Act complements the Social Services Act 1980, which deals with voluntary care; on entering into force on 1 January 1982, they together replaced the 1960 Act. In general, decisions taken under the 1960 Act which were still in force on 31 December 1981 were considered to be decisions taken under the 1980 Act. B. Conditions for compulsory care 1. Under the 1960 Act 35.    Under section 25(a) of the 1960 Act, the competent local authority in child-care matters - the Child Welfare Board (barnavårdsnämnden) or, in Stockholm and Gothenburg, the Social District Council - was obliged to intervene (translation from the Swedish): "[if] a person, not yet eighteen years of age, is maltreated in his home or otherwise treated there in a manner endangering his bodily or mental health, or if his development is jeopardised by the unfitness of his parents or other guardians responsible for his upbringing, or by their inability to raise the child." Section 25(b) of the 1960 Act (which was not applied in the present case) provided that the local authority also had to intervene if a minor needed corrective measures because of his criminal, immoral or otherwise asocial behaviour. 36.    As regards section 25(a), the preparatory work to the 1960 Act stated, inter alia, the following (translation from the Swedish): "In the future too, an important reason for intervention must be that a minor is exposed to physical maltreatment. The specific reference to this in the text of the statute seems to some extent to obscure the importance of the fact that children and young persons must also be protected from other kinds of treatment which may be harmful to their bodily or mental health. For this reason, the Bill instead makes it a prerequisite for intervention that the minor is being maltreated in his home or that he is otherwise treated there in such a way as to endanger his bodily or mental health. This amendment in relation to the law now in force does not aim at bringing about any material change. Reasons for intervention, except for physical maltreatment, may be such as are given as examples in the preparatory work to the legislation now in force: for instance, that a child, who is perhaps being cared for with great tenderness, is all the same continuously exposed to mortal danger owing to his mother’s mental illness, or that an infant is being cared for by a mother who is suffering from tuberculosis in a contagious state. Further examples may be that the minor is obliged to do work that is unreasonably hard considering his age or his strength, that he does not get enough to eat and is for that reason clearly undernourished, or that his home environment is marked by a considerable lack of hygiene. According to the practice that has been applied hitherto, it should also be possible to intervene in those instances where the parents - perhaps because of their religious convictions - omit to give the child the medical care and treatment that he needs. Among the cases where children are exposed to mental injury or danger may be mentioned the one where parents - with evident symptoms of mental abnormalities or of pathological attitudes - bring up their children in a way, as the committee puts it, that includes a kind of spiritual error and which often in the end causes their personality to develop in an undesirable way. When such upbringing has the result that the child’s mental health is endangered, it comes under the section now dealt with. For an intervention under section [25(a)] of the 1960 Act to be permitted, there must be a danger of the child’s becoming a misfit because of his parents’ vicious way of life or their negligence or inability to educate the child. The provision in question thus concerns abnormalities in the parents or in their capacity to educate; it lays down that those abnormalities should be such as to endanger the child’s social development. Parents and other custodians should be treated on equal terms in this respect. Otherwise only amendments of a formal nature seem to be required. Thus, it is suggested that the words ‘vicious’ and ‘negligence’ be replaced by the expression ‘unsuitability as custodians’, which seems more appropriate in this context. Obviously, the scope of this expression is somewhat wider than the one currently in use. Apart from ‘vicious’ and ‘negligent’ custodians, it thus also covers those suffering from serious mental abnormalities. There seems to be no reason to object to this enlargement of the field of application of this rule. Society should be entitled to intervene as soon as there is a danger of a young person’s unfavourable social development owing to shortcomings in the custodian. Since the notion of ‘misfit’, as the committee has found, should be excluded from this legislation, the intervention of the Child Welfare Board has instead been made subject to the prerequisite that the development of the young person is in jeopardy. This means that intervention shall take place whenever needed to prevent such abnormalities of behaviour as are indicated under section [25(a)]. It should be pointed out that, just as is the case under the law now in force, an intervention does not require that there have so far been any signs of maladaptation in the young person in question." (Reproduced in NJA II - Nytt Juridiskt Arkiv, "Journal for Legislation" - 1960, pp. 456 et seq.) 2. Under the 1980 Act 37.    Co