– I react very strongly. There are shocking and bad cases, which you wouldn’t think could happen in Norway, says the Minister for Children and Families to news. Kjersti Toppe (Sp) lives in and is from Bergen, and refers to the latest inspection reports from the county doctor in Vestland as “merciless”. In a short time, the State Administrator has concluded gross negligence and several breaches of the law in two serious child welfare cases in Bergen. The case has also created a political crisis in Bergen, where the city council is in danger of having to lose confidence. Request more information about the cases The government is now also involved in the child welfare crisis in Bergen. On Wednesday, the Minister for Children will send a letter to the State Administrator in Vestland, who has conducted the most recent inspections of the child welfare services in the city. – I invite them to a meeting. I would like more information about the inspections that have taken place, how they are followed up and how one can learn from these cases. For Toppe, it is important that the reports from Bergen have transferable value to other municipal child welfare services. – Supervision is important and I expect that the reports will be taken seriously and that the State Administrator will not give up either, until one is 100 per cent sure that the failure will be rectified, so that no more children risk experiencing the same thing. UNDER PRESSURE: City council leader Roger Valhammer (Ap) may receive a motion of no confidence against him during the week. Photo: Jon Bolstad / news Will not comment on the political crisis On Tuesday, the SV puts forward a motion of no confidence against social councilor Katrine Nødtvedt (MDG). On Wednesday, the People’s Party (FNB) tabled a motion of no confidence against city council leader Roger Valhammer (Ap). On Thursday, several opposition parties will decide whether to follow SV or the People’s Party. The result could be that the city council in Bergen has to resign. – Do you understand that the opposition is talking about distrust of the city council? – I think it is difficult to comment on that as a minister. But I am also a resident of Bergen and these are shocking cases that have made a big impression on people. So that it is now a big deal in the city council in Bergen, I understand that very well. In a way, it should just be missing. – Will childcare in Bergen improve if the city council has to go? – I cannot answer that. The city council must do what they think is right. DON’T HAVE CONFIDENCE: SV has put forward a motion of no confidence against social affairs councilor Katrine Nødtvedt (MDG). Photo: Jon Bolstad / news – It’s not just the children’s welfare in Bergen that doesn’t do a good enough job On Tuesday, Bergens Tidende wrote about the conditions of the employees of the children’s welfare service in Bergen. Since January, 33 out of 182 employees, almost one in five, have quit their jobs. The Minister for Children points out that it is not just the child welfare services in Bergen that have challenges. – There are unusually serious cases that have been uncovered in Bergen. But we have national inspection reports that point to the same weaknesses elsewhere in the country, says the children’s minister and lists the same things that the State Administrator in Vestland points to in his inspection reports: Failure in the investigation phase Child welfare is unable to detect the serious cases One does not speak enough, or on the whole, with the child – There is potential for improvement and urgent things that need to happen. It’s not just the children’s welfare in Bergen that doesn’t do a good enough job, says Toppe. To the question of what the government will do to improve the situation, Toppe replies: – It is important for the government to strengthen the municipal welfare services, and especially child protection, so that we get better management and less “turnover”. The government has also said that we will promote a quality reform for child protection, so that employees have more time and space to follow up on children. She signals that in the national budget it has been important for the government to strengthen municipal child protection. The budget will be presented on Thursday morning.
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– Unusual serious doctor – news Vestland
