Assistance from the child welfare service

When a child is in need because of conditions at home or for other reasons, the child welfare services will provide assistance for the child and their family. Consideration of what is best for the child comes first.

Such assistance may take the form of counselling, a personal support contact, home visits and financial assistance. Procuring a place in a foster home or institution can also be a form of assistance. Children should live at home wherever possible. We place emphasis on finding the causes of problems and discussing them with the parents and children.

Children under 18 years of age. With the child’s consent, assistance can continue until the youth turns 25.

There must be a documented need for assistance.

Hjelpetiltak i hjemmet

See Sections 4-4, 6-9 and Chapter 4 of the Child Welfare Act in particular.

Barnevernsloven
Forvaltningsloven

Parents, friends, neighbours, kindergartens/schools, health care centres etc. that observe that a child is in need of assistance can notify the child welfare services.

The child welfare services will obtain the information necessary for making a decision on the case and may elect to have an expert investigate further investigate the case. In such case, the expert report must be sent to the Expert Commission on Children for evaluation. The Commission’s evaluation of the report must reach the child welfare services before any major decisions can be made on the case.

The municipality will process the case as soon as possible. If a decision cannot be reached on the case within one month, you will receive a written message stating the reason as to why. You will also be informed of when the decision is expected to be made.

If you are dissatisfied with the decision, you can appeal to the municipality within three weeks from the date on which you received it. Explain what you are dissatisfied with and why you believe the decision should be changed. If you need guidance, you can enquire with the municipality. If the municipality upholds its decision, the case will be passed on to the county governor, who will determine whether the appeal should be sustained.