Main topic
Families and children
The Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion endeavours to ensure that children and young people get a good upbringing and that families can feel secure, both financially and socially.
Marriage and cohabitation
Marriage can be entered into between two people of the opposite sex or of the same sex. Marriage is of legal importance to the spouses in a number of areas.
Adoption
An adoption order may only be made when it can be assumed that the adoption will be in the best interests of the child. The basic condition of the child's best interests applies to all forms of adoption.
Parental benefit, child benefit and cash benefit
Each year, large amounts of money are transferred from the public purse to families with children: parental benefit, child benefit and cash benefits for the parents of infants.
Related topics
Current
Parenthood
The Children Act regulates the determination of the mother and father. The woman who gives birth to the baby is the child's mother and, if the parents are married, the man to whom the mother is married is counted as the child's father.
Amendments to the Adoption Act
The task of investigating prospective adoptive parents will be transferred from the municipalities to the regions in the Norwegian Children, Youth and Family Affairs Service on 1 February 2015.
Documents
The Child Welfare Act
Act relating to Child Welfare Services
The Cash Benefit Act
Act concerning Cash Benefit for Parents with Small Children
The most important documents are bills (propositions), white papers, hearing documents and Official Norwegian Reports (NOUs). These documents are primarily available in Norwegian.
Contact
Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion
E-mail: postmottak@bld.dep.no
Phone: +47 22 24 90 90
Address: Akersgata 59, 0180 Oslo, Postboks 8036 Dep, 0030 Oslo