Shelves with teddy bears and books. A carpet with a car track on it. Younas Mohammad-Roe shows off one of the rooms at the child welfare center in Oslo, where he is the manager. Here they accept children in crisis. They are often very stressed, explains Mohammad-Roe. – They are scared very often, and can act out. And that’s why you don’t have sharp objects here. He says it quite calmly. For him, this is everyday life. Keeping calm when dealing with children is important. Sometimes children also have to sleep here. In an emergency. – We are terrified that they may die, quite simply. So we just have to protect them, he explains. Children themselves have donated teddy bears, dolls and toys here. For the joy of others who need play and comfort. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken / news Children on the run Barnevernsvakta is the child welfare service “outside office hours”. Here they accept calls from children and parents. Helps in acute crises. And looking for children on the run. Last year they contributed to 382 cases where children were missing in the city. Some of them for hours. Others longer. The cases concerned 229 children. Some of them were missing in Oslo several times. One child was missing 12 times last year. – In the repeated cases where children are missing several times during the course of a year, it is very often children who live in an institution. Don’t have people to search Mohammad-Roe says most institutions are quick to report and actively search for the children. But: not all. The Child Protection Agency notices that the capacity is under pressure. Especially at institutions that have to take care of children and young people with behavioral problems. – Those we see often have challenges linked to resources and capacity, he says. – Because it may be that they already have a child they have to look after at the institution. And then they don’t have enough staff to send someone to Oslo to search for the missing child. This causes Children’s Minister Kjersti Toppe (Sp) to react. – I can understand that it is sometimes difficult to prioritize resources for research and searches, but I assume that all institutions have plans for this to happen when there is a need for it. Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe says the government will take action in child protection. Photo: Håkon Benjaminsen / news She also wants to ensure that the institutions are aware of what they are allowed to do. Because not all institutions believe they have the power and authority to prevent children from leaving, is the experience of the Child Protection Agency. Or bring them home by force. It was also a topic at a meeting in May about substance abuse in child care. Institutions and municipalities are unsure of what the law says. And the state administrators have different practices for approving coercion. – It shouldn’t be like that. Doing something about it is something we can do in the short term, said Toppe in an interview with news right after the meeting. 308 children The Child Welfare Service works together with both the police and the municipality’s outdoor section. The outdoor section knows the center of Oslo best. They have patrols out for large parts of the day most of the year. They are often connected first. Therefore, they know about more missing children than the child welfare services. Last year they searched for 456 different people in the city centre. 308 of them children. The Child Welfare Service was called in to help find around 230 of them. – The most important thing is that we give clear signals to the children. We don’t give up and find them as quickly as possible, says the child welfare officer’s Younas Mohammad-Roe. With every hour that passes, the risk of the child becoming intoxicated or exposed to something increases. The play corner at the child welfare services. Within the doors of the police station, this room will create as child-friendly an atmosphere as possible. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken / news From all over the country One thing is common to both the child protection service and the outdoor section: A majority of the children they are looking for are from other cities. Last year, it applied to 2 out of 3 of the children Younas and his colleagues helped to find. In practice, Oslo’s child protection watch becomes a “watch” for the whole country. Because the big city is a draw for children who want to get away. And perhaps seek out environments adults want them to avoid. – Then you want to seek out a big city where it is easy to hide. More girls, younger children Both when it comes to missing persons cases and other inquiries, the Child Protection Agency sees a development: They now concern girls to a greater extent than boys. – We see an increase in girls who have been involved with drug use. Use of pills, alcohol. That makes us seriously worried, says Mohammad-Roe. And the Oslo children they are contacted about are younger than before. – Our experience has been younger children. Who get high, evade care, run away, says Mohammad-Roe. – We had examples of 11-12-year-olds who got high. This is where parents are super worried, naturally. And people have feared an overdose. These are serious matters. Younas Mohammad-Roe is used to meeting children and families in crisis. He is nevertheless concerned about the development in Oslo. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken / news Strong substances in children In addition, there are also more concerns about heavy drug use. Strong substances. And children who mix drugs. – We also see more use of various mixed drugs. Xanax and alcohol, Xanax and cannabis, hashish, but also other stronger drugs such as amphetamines. Substances that are now easier to get hold of than before, with the help of social media. It worries. – One substance alone, in itself, is serious. But the mixture and such an uncritical approach to it, it becomes more serious, says Mohammad-Roe. They talk to children and parents on the phone. They go home to families. And they accept children at the childcare centre. It may be children who are in their worst crisis. Who rages against the world. Who cries. Or are apathetic. Here they get a room to be children, in the middle of it. To play. And to talk, if they need it. Something many do. Even after 20 years in the child protection service, Mohammad-Roe is still affected by it. – In a crisis situation, there is a window where children, if you meet them in a good and safe way, just come out with things. It still makes an impression. Younas has worked at the childcare center for 20 years. It can be a demanding job, but he is still touched by the children they meet. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakekn / news Published 27.06.2024, at 06.36
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– Children as young as 11-12 – Greater Oslo
