– There was a boy who fit in very well with us. He quickly became part of the family, says “Grethe”. For several years she has been a foster mother to a child. But now she doesn’t want to be a foster mother anymore. She has had enough. “Grethe” feels that it is a full-time job with few rights. “Grethe” is not her real name. Out of consideration for foster children and work, she will not be named. news knows the woman’s identity. BOOK: “Grethe” read this book to her foster child every night when he was younger. Photo: Anders Leines / news Ended as a foster home It started when she was an emergency home for several children, including a boy. “Grethe” developed a close relationship with the boy and did not want to lose him. Therefore, she became a foster mother for the child. – We achieved so much together, which I didn’t want to let go of. It was a good feeling to expand the family, says “Grethe”. – A child with major challenges does not benefit from that move all the time, with broken relationships and attachment problems. It is so harmful, she says. She believed that the child who first moved in with her on standby had a great need for stability in life. Therefore, “Grethe” was bought out, so that she could have full focus on the child. This is a foster home A foster home is a private home that cares for children who cannot live with their parents. Foster parents cooperate with the child welfare service in the municipality, and in most cases with the child’s family, regarding the child’s needs and the child’s future. 9,297 children aged 0 to 18 were under the care of the child protection agency in 2020. Free purchase means that the municipality buys one of the foster parents free from their regular job. During this period, the foster parents are compensated for their income up to an indicative ceiling of 6G a year, which corresponds to NOK 668,862 in 2022. According to the survey from 2018, free purchase was used in 44 percent of the foster homes, according to Faktisk.no. An emergency home is a home that can take in children and young people at short notice when an emergency situation arises. The emergency home must care for children and young people for a temporary period, until a more permanent care solution is found, or until they move back in with their parents. Read a foster home agreement here. Source: Bufdir The municipalities were given responsibility for finances But after 1 January 2022, when a new child welfare reform came into force, the municipalities were given full responsibility for the finances of foster homes. Before, the child welfare services were reimbursed for a part of free purchases from Bufetat. “Grethe” has been freed since she became a foster home, from her job, to take care of the boy one hundred percent. “THE CHILD’S BEST” – There is always talk of “the child’s best”, but it’s not that, says “Grethe”, choking back tears. Photo: Anders Leines / news Last year, the municipality believed that she did not need to be so close to the child. The child has grown older, and they no longer wanted to free her to the extent that “Grethe” thought the child needed. She says that it then became financially difficult to continue as a foster home, and the boy was therefore placed with someone else. news has seen the refusal from the municipality that came after the child welfare reform came into force. A full-time job with few rights In cases where there is an agreement to buy out over time, it is usual for the agreements to be renewed annually, but this can vary, according to Bufdir. “Grethe” believes that the rights of foster parents must be strengthened. For many years, “Grethe” has experienced that it has been challenging to be a foster mother, due to few rights. For example, she does not have the authority to help change GPs, renew passports or set up a bank account for her foster child. DIFFICULT: “Grethe” thinks it has been difficult with the few rights you have as a foster parent. Photo: Anders Leines / news – To be allowed to do this, I have to go through the child welfare service. “Grethe” also does not have the authority to make a statement about the child, does not receive pension points and says that it is often financially difficult. – We should be considered employees. Today we are freelancers, says “Grethe”. POLITICS: “Grethe” believes that politicians must understand what work the foster parents do. Photo: Anders Leines / news New child welfare reform from 01.01.2022 Through the new child welfare reform adopted by the Storting in 2017, from 1.1.2022 the municipalities have been given full financial responsibility and responsibility for follow-up and guidance of foster homes. The purpose of giving the municipalities overall responsibility for ordinary foster homes (i.e. all foster homes for which the municipalities are responsible) is to help ensure that children in foster homes receive the right measures at the right time within the resources available to the child welfare services and the municipality at all times. In order to give the municipalities more financial leeway, they were allowed to increase the free funds in the budget. Bufdir has developed professional recommendations on financial framework conditions for foster homes that should provide predictability and security for families. The earmarking of funds for child welfare was lifted when the Storting adopted the child welfare reform. This is because the reform stipulates that the field of child protection should be part of an education reform, together with other municipal services for children and young people. Source: Bufdir Will not recommend it anymore Secretary General of the Norwegian Foster Home Association, Tone Granaas, says that what “Grethe” says is consistent with feedback from many of their members. In the Foster Home Survey 2022, 48 percent answer that they cannot recommend others, or are unsure whether they can recommend others, to become a foster home. – I find that the vast majority of people persevere and stick with it for the sake of the child. URO: Secretary General of the Norwegian Foster Home Association, Tone Granaas, says she feels that foster parents are having a hard time now. – Foster parents who are bought out very often risk their own personal finances, and some have to choose between the job and the child, says Granaas. Photo: Stig Jaarvik / news Granaas says they experience a large variation from municipality to municipality after the new child welfare reform. – The legal certainty for children in foster homes has deteriorated, and financial considerations come before the child’s needs and right to measures in the foster home, she says. With legal certainty, she means that there are far too many children who have to be moved from foster home to foster home, which creates additional burdens for the child, and that there is a neglect of care by the public. She also believes, like “Grethe”, that freed foster parents should be considered as employees. This means an occupational pension, security in the event of accidents, rights to support from NAV in the event of illness, predictability and job security, also if the child welfare service suddenly terminates the foster care agreement. – You have better rights if you buy a toaster, than entering society’s most important mission, becoming a foster parent. It can’t be like that, she says. Toppe: Considering measures to improve the situation Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) writes to news that she completely agrees that being a foster home is society’s most important job. – What “Grethe” tells about are conditions that are important to address. It is sad if there are more people who end up as foster families because of this. Toppe expects the municipalities to assess the need for, among other things, free purchase based on the needs of the foster child and the foster family. ASSESS: Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) says they are considering what to do to improve the situation. Photo: Tom Balgaard She says that it is a challenge to recruit foster families who can meet the children’s various needs, and that many children wait too long in foster homes. – Therefore, the ministry is now considering measures both in the short and longer term to improve the situation. When it comes to financial conditions, pensions and so on, an investigation into this has already been started. New notification to the Storting in 2024 The government will present a separate notification on foster homes to the Storting. In this work, they will look at the framework for foster families, such as compensation, pensions and follow-up of the foster homes, Kjersti Toppe explains. Work on the notification to the Storting has started. The government aims to deliver the message during 2024, the ministry states. She says Bufdir has, among other things, been tasked with assessing how foster parents can gain electronic access to necessary health information. – Improving the rights of foster children and foster families is a high priority for me and this government. One of the most important things we can do is to improve the framework conditions so that it becomes safer and more predictable to be a foster family, says Toppe. Too soon, Bufdir follows how the municipalities adapt to the new reform. – It is too early to draw conclusions. We see great variations between the municipalities, and we work to ensure greater equality through professional recommendations, writes divisional director Jan Kato Fremstad in Bufdir to news. He says that the meaning of the reform is that the municipalities should have control over their own expenses and what kind of offer is provided. TOO EARLY: Division director Jan Kato Fremstad in Bufdir says it has been a challenge over the past few years to find suitable foster homes for all children who need them. Young people with special care needs and siblings who you want to keep together are the most difficult to place, he says. Photo: Remi Sagen / news Fremstad says there is a great shortage of foster homes, which creates additional challenges in the recruitment work. – It has always been difficult to recruit enough foster homes for all the children who need them. There are many people who have waited a long time for foster homes: Fremstad believes that the reason for the shortage may, among other things, be about uncertainty related to finances, follow-up or possibly a greater focus on return and contact with biological families. Happy with the children “Grethe” says that the beauty of being a foster mother is that you can see the results of the work you do. An insecure child becomes safe, the child settles in and becomes part of the family. – Being in a foster home is very good, but you can’t take it because of the system around you. She is very grateful for the children who lived with her, but hopes that there will be a change, so that it will be better for everyone. TOY: A toy placed in “Grethe’s” window. Photo: Anders M. Leines / news – It’s only these children that get worse, we adults always manage, but it’s these children who get wound after wound. Hear more about how child welfare works in the podcast “inside child welfare” here: Have you been in foster care? Hello, have you or do you know someone who ended up in foster care in their teens and had a positive experience? Or any other tips in connection with this case? Please send me an email.
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“Grethe” has been a foster mother for several years – will no longer be – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
