The Child Welfare Tribunal can decide that a pregnant substance abuser should be admitted to and detained at a suitable institution for the duration of the pregnancy to prevent children being born with birth defects. Such decisions can only be made in cases where it can be substantiated that the child will be born with birth defects as a result of the substance abuse.
Coercive measures must not be used if voluntary measures will suffice. The tribunal must also make an overall discretionary assessment of whether compulsory admission is a reasonable and proportionate measure.