The case of the five-year-old who was moved back to her mother, against her will, upsets many. The five-year-old was in a foster home where he was safe and loved. However, due to a conflict with the child welfare service, the foster parents chose to terminate the assignment. – Can not stand the fights Several foster parents have contacted news after this case. A foster parent couple in Eastern Norway chooses to speak anonymously out of consideration for the child they care for. The foster parents feel they are in a struggle to be heard. – It is especially difficult if you as the child’s caregiver believe that decisions made are not good for the child. It ultimately affects the child. The foster parents have never considered canceling the assignment, but understand that other foster homes experience that the struggles are too big and demanding. – There are probably some who can not stand so many matches. That was not why you registered as a foster home. – With your experiences, would you recommend others to take a foster home assignment? – We can not answer yes to that question as the situation is for foster homes today. For as it has become now in recent years, it no longer seems to be a main principle that it is the child’s best interests that should have the main focus. The Foster Home Association has the same impression from their members. Many will no longer recommend others to become foster homes. As many as 48 percent of those surveyed in this year’s foster home survey will not, or do not know if they will, recommend others to become foster parents. 1300 foster parents have responded to the survey conducted by the Norwegian Foster Home Association. – Public care failure One of three respondents in the survey says that they have had cooperation difficulties or conflict with the child welfare service. The conflicts are often about a disagreement about what the child’s needs are, and what help measures the child and the foster home need. It is also in many cases a conflict over finances. The foster home association has many examples of conflicts leading to foster children being moved. – It is a public care failure, says Secretary General of the Norwegian Foster Home Association, Tone Granaas. Tone Granaas, general secretary of the Foster Home Association, demands that a neutral unit be established that can help in conflicts between foster homes and child welfare services. Photo: Tore Meek, Meek, Tore / NTB scanpix Foster parents have no one to turn to if there is a disagreement with the child welfare service. They have no right of appeal or party rights. It also means that if the public sector fails, no one can speak for the children, the association believes. – Serious A total of 20 percent say that either they or the child welfare service have resigned or are considering resigning due to the conflict. – Unplanned relocations from foster homes happen far too often. It’s very serious. Both for the children who are in foster homes today, and not least for all the children in line who need good, stable foster homes. The Foster Home Association now demands that foster parents be given better rights. – An appeal body should be set up where you can get help to solve these problems, instead of children having to move once more. The municipalities are responsible for ensuring good child welfare, but Granaas believes the government must intervene. – The state can delegate the tasks and the finances, but they can not delegate the responsibility. They have to step up. – Will address this Minister of Children and Family Affairs Kjersti Toppe (Sp) says the statement from the Foster Home Association is powerful, but does not think it is right to call it public care failure. – I want us to have a collaboration on how we can strengthen this important area. Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) will strengthen the foster homes’ rights and conditions. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB According to Toppe, the government is working on several measures in the foster home area. – I agree that there are a good number of aspects of foster care policy today that are not good enough. Only the fact that there is a proposal for an appeal body tells her that there is too much conflict. – So much conflict between foster parents and the municipality is not good for the vulnerable children in question. The goal is for there to be less conflict.
ttn-69
Believes the matches will be too big and demanding – would not recommend others to become foster homes – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
