4.Child welfare
4.1 Preventive measures
The services and financial support that society offers to families with children
help these families in their task of raising their children. Mother-child clinics,
daycare, psycho-social care provided by schools, school health care services and
youth work pre-empt the need for active child welfare measures, but they are also
often the first means of identifying an existing need for child welfare measures.
4.2 Non-residential care
If the health and development of a child or young person are jeopardized by an
inappropriate environment or self-destructive behaviour, the social services of the
municipality support the family and the child or young person through non-residential
care services. In the event of economic problems or housing problems, the
municipality must provide the family with adequate economic support and endeavour
to solve any housing problems. Further child welfare measures are only taken if this
fails to rectify the situation.
4.3 Non-residential support measures
Non-residential child welfare support measures are tailor-made to the needs
and the situation of each child and its family. The family may be assigned a support
person or support family if they wish. As a non-residential support measure, the child
may be placed for the short term in a foster family or institution without being
officially taken into care, if it is estimated that the situation can be rectified within a
short time.
The entire family can also be rehabilitated, for example in an institution for intoxicant
abusers. Other support measures include child guidance and family counselling
services, home help, day-care, therapy, support for the child during school and
hobbies and in acquiring vocational skills and finding accommodation. Nonresidential support measures require the consent of the child's parents or legal
guardians and of the child him/herself if 12 years of age or more.
4.4 Taking into care and foster care
A child is only taken into care and placed in a foster home if the situation in
the child's own home or the child's own behaviour are a serious threat to the child's
health or development and non-residential measures are not adequate or possible. A
decision to take a child into care is always required to be in the child's best interests.
The child can be taken into care either as an emergency safety measure or as a
standard case, in which event the child is usually placed in a foster home for a longer
period. A child can be taken into care on the basis of consent or the municipal social
welfare board can enforce the decision. The child and his or her family must be heard
during the preparations for taking the child into care. If a child over 12 or his or her
parents or guardians is opposed to the child being taken into care, the Provincial
Administrative Court must confirm the decision. A child over 12 and the adults
looking after him or her are entitled to appeal against a decision to take the child into
care to the Administrative Court and further to the Supreme Administrative Court.
The transfer of guardianship ends when the child is 18 years old at the latest. It
can be concluded earlier if the reasons for the child being taken into care have been
eliminated, and if the decision is not against the child's best interests. The municipal
social welfare board has a duty to support the child or young person after the end of
foster care until the person reaches 21 years of age.