This week, the leader of the Norwegian Immigrant Forum, Athar Ali, came down hard on Norwegian child protection. He did so as a result of an news revelation, where a Norwegian-African woman did not regain custody of her children because they had been “assimilated” in the foster homes. Among other things, they had lost their mother’s language, and the child protection service therefore thought that a return would be too difficult. – It is a well-known problem that children lose their parents’ language and culture in the care of child welfare services. Therefore, one can say that a “Norwegianization” is taking place, said Ali. Storting representative Mari Holm Lønseth from Høgre reacts strongly to that. – To insinuate that the child protection service is quite deliberately pursuing the “Norwegianization” of children with an immigrant background is to undermine both trust in the child protection service and not least the seriousness that the children need help, she says. Damage to trust Lønseth, who is also the immigration policy spokesperson for the party, believes that Ali’s statements can also contribute to an already strained view of Norwegian child protection. – Some people do not have a high level of trust in child protection and I think this type of statement from an organization for immigrants contributes to greater distrust, she says. – Ali says it is a well-known problem that children from minorities lose their language and culture in Norwegian child protection, isn’t that problematic? – I think the most important thing is that children who have been exposed to violence or abuse get the help they need from child protection. They are the ones who pay the biggest price here. Athar Ali has worked for immigrants’ rights for several decades. Photo: Private – High price to pay when you lose your language Lønseth believes that the risk of loss of language or culture should never be an argument against child protection intervening and doing its job. – So it is of course good if you also gain knowledge about your own origins, language and identity. Child protection must also try to make arrangements for that. But the child’s safety must be the most important thing, says Lønseth. Leader of the Norwegian Immigrant Forum, Athar Ali, says he is surprised that Høgre is reacting. – We have never said that children who are exposed to violence should not get help, of course that is the most important thing. But if the price is that they lose their mother tongue and part of their identity, it is a very high price to pay, he says. Ali believes that child protection must be able to achieve both – both ensuring safe homes for children who need it, and connection to their biological parents’ language and culture. – In the short term, safety is the most important thing, but in the long term, loss of language and culture can lead to identity problems or psychological problems. It is something that must be taken seriously, he says. – I think it is worrying that such a large party as Høgre does not see the seriousness here. Disappointed with Children’s Minister Toppe Children and Family Minister Kjersti Toppe (Sp) has previously said that even the risk of children becoming “Norwegianized” in child care is bad enough. Lønseth believes that Toppe should state more clearly that the most important thing for children who need help is that child protection actually intervenes. Top win, she thinks Lønseth is exaggerating. – Of course, the most important thing is that the child gets help and a measure when they need it, she says. She points out that she cannot comment on individual cases, but reminds on a general basis of the rules for the return of children: The starting point is that the child must be returned when it is “predominantly likely” that the parents can provide the child with proper care. There is only one exception to this in the law: When the child has become so attached to people and the environment where they are, that moving can lead to serious problems for the child. – That a child has distanced himself from his mother tongue and culture is not enough in isolation. But the minister is also worried that stories about “Norwegianization” could contribute to a deterioration in trust in Norwegian child protection. – Therefore, it is important to make a greater effort, both at system level and in individual cases, to protect the origin of the child. I also thought Høgre was in favor of this: that the child protection service must always do everything they can to find a foster home that reflects the child’s background. Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp). Photo: William Jobling / news
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Høgre reacts to revelations about the Norwegianization of children in Norwegian child protection – news Vestland
