"Just an extra plate on the table?" Summary of Countrywide Supervision in 2013 and 2014 of Children Living in Foster Homes
Summary of Report of the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision 1/2015
Children living in foster homes have the need and the right to be followed up by the child welfare service, in a way that is individually adapted to their needs. Both foster children and foster parents need to be followed up and given guidance. The child welfare service has responsibility for ensuring that children receive adequate care in their foster home.
In 2013 and 2014, the Offices of the County Governors carried out supervision of 94 child welfare services, representing 151 municipalities. We summarize the findings of supervision in this report.
The Offices of the County Governors found deficiencies in 71 of the 94 child welfare services. These deficiencies were in a variety of areas. There were large deficiencies in management of the services. The result of this was that foster children and foster parents did not receive the follow-up they have the right to receive. The report gives examples of children receiving too few visits, and being given too few possibilities for active participation.
The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision has requested the child welfare services to consider the findings presented in the report and to assess their own services in the light of these findings.