Since 2016, the County Governor (Fylkesmannen) has concluded in
159 cases of foster care concerns. Among these, 85 offences have
been uncovered.
Since January 2016, the country’s county councils have closed 159 cases where the child welfare law section 4-22, which deals with foster care, was a topic wrote Dagbladet newspaper.
The audit was carried out based on reports of concern, and out of the 159 cases, offences had been uncovered in 85 of the investigated foster homes.
According to the Child Welfare Act, foster parents should be chosen who have a special ability to give children a safe and good home. In addition, the municipality in question will supervise each child in the foster home from the time of placement and until the child reaches the age of 18.
In 2018, a report was published by Menon Economics in collaboration with the Labour Research Institute (AFI).
It showed that lack of follow-up of foster homes is a comprehensive problem on a national basis wrote Dagbladet.
According to the report, over 2,100 children in 2017, 23%, did not receive the inspection visits that the law requires.
‘’Children in foster homes must have good follow-up and have their rights safeguarded. It is the municipalities that mainly have this responsibility. The evaluation of the supervisory system showed the need for more systematic efforts’’ said division director, Kjetil A. Ostling of Bufdir to Dagbladet.
Bufdir is now working to strengthen the training of supervisors, ensure better matching of children and foster homes and development of new guidelines for the child welfare service’s follow-up of foster care the newspaper wrote.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
