An expert committee has assessed the legal security for children and parents in all stages of the child welfare service’s work. – We take the situation seriously, said chair of the Child Protection Committee Marit Skivenes when she handed over the report to Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe. The committee believes that the situation in child protection is “serious and urgent”. Especially for children who have to move to foster homes and institutions. In other words, serious for the children who are most in need of help from the child welfare services. Great demands for legal certainty The Child Protection Committee states that children’s right to participation is not adequately safeguarded. The children do not get the information they need. And they are also not allowed to express their opinions in a safe way, writes the committee. The Child Protection Act allows for very intrusive measures. This places great demands on safeguarding the rights of both children and parents. The report deals with the most demanding cases in child protection – cases where the child is moved out of the home. The assignment came after the European Court of Human Rights considered that in several Norwegian child protection cases there was not a good enough basis for a decision. The investigation comes with a total of 118 action points that will contribute to better child protection. REPORT RECEIVED: Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) today receives the report from the expert committee that looked at legal certainty in Norwegian child protection. Photo: Bjørne Østrem Djukastein / news Some important figures In 2021, child protection services throughout Norway received just over 52,000 reports that someone was worried about a child. Almost 39,000 children then came into contact with child protection through a survey. At the end of 2021, there were just over 29,000 children who received help from child protection: Just over 8,300 children lived in foster homes. 834 children lived in an institution. The rest of the children, about 20,000, received help at home. Source: Safe childhood, secure future. An NOU for children and young people on legal security in child protection Skeptical of proposals for a new scheme The majority in the child protection committee proposes that a scheme with a child representative be established. This person must only focus on the child’s rights. The scheme must ensure that children are understood and experience being understood. The proposal means that the child will have their own representative in all cases where it is considered that the child must move out of the home. Mimmi Kvisvik, leader of the Joint Organization (FO), does not agree with the proposal to establish such an arrangement. – The responsibility for ensuring the best interests of the child should and must lie with the child welfare services, Kvisvik believes. FO is the trade union for social workers and Kvisvik has sat on the child welfare committee. She says the investigation must be seen in the context of the other work being done in the child welfare field. – The mandate was about legal certainty in child protection. The investigation does not provide answers to all the challenges. MAJOR CHALLENGES DO NOT ARISE IN A VACUUM: Director of FO, Mimmi Kvisvik, says that although the investigation is about children and families with major challenges, it does not start there. – I am particularly pleased to have been given a separate chapter on early intervention. To ensure that everyone gets the right help at the right time, we must invest more in prevention and early intervention. Photo: Pressefoto / FO Will always return to participation Chairman of the National Association for child welfare children, Silje Sveum, has been excited about the investigation. She believes the report can mean a lot to many people. – There is a lack of legal certainty in the child protection service today. For example, there are many people who are not aware of the appeal possibilities that exist. The committee proposes to lower the age for party status for the child from 15 to 12 years. The proposal means that children from the age of 12 will be more involved in their own affairs. This has been an important point for the national association. – We believe that you must become a party to your own case when you turn 12. We are fiercely loyal to our parents. If we can get our own lawyer and be a party to our own case, then we can advance our voice in a better way. Now Sveum is excited about the continuation. – It remains to be seen whether the politicians will get on board with it, but I hope so. PARTICIPATION: Silje Sveum in the National Association for Child Welfare Children says she always comes back to the question of participation. – It is very important! We should not decide, but we should be allowed to say what we mean and think. Photo: Lokman Ghorbani / news
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The Child Protection Committee presents its report. – The situation is serious and urgent – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
