Child Welfare
Topic
The primary duty of the child welfare services is to ensure that children and young people living under conditions that may harm their health and development will receive the necessary assistance when they need it, and to contribute to giving children and young people safe conditions for growing up.
Procedures in the Child Welfare Service
Care-giving for and upbringing of children are primarily a parental responsibility. Nonetheless, parents may need help for a period of time. The child welfare services can play a role in assisting children and families so that the children are ensured good living conditions and development opportunities.
The Child Welfare Service's Tasks
How does the Norwegian child welfare service works, and how is it organised?
Foster homes
A foster home is a private home where children who are unable to live with their parents are looked after for a period. Over 80% of all children in the care of the child welfare service live in foster homes.
Current
1996 Hague Convention enters into force
Norway’s ratification of the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention will strengthen our cooperation with other states when parental conflicts and child welfare cases arise that involve more than one country. The Convention will enter into force on 1 July 2016.
Strengthening children’s right to help
An amendment to the Child Welfare Act to make it easier for the child welfare service to order help measures is now being circulated for comment. The purpose of the amendment is to improve children’s situation and avoid invasive measures such as care orders.
Documents
The Child Welfare Act
The purpose of this Act is to ensure that children and young persons who live in conditions that may be detrimental to their health and development receive the necessary assistance and care at the right time.
The most important documents are bills (propositions), white papers, hearing documents and Official Norwegian Reports (NOUs). These documents are primarily available in Norwegian.
Resources
Contact
Department of Child Welfare Services
E-mail: postmottak@bld.dep.no
Phone: +47 22 24 90 90
Address: Postboks 8036 Dep, 0030 Oslo
Visitor address: Akersgata 59, Oslo