National child welfare, 2005

A total of about NOK 4.0 billion was spent on the national child welfare service in 2005. More than NOK 2.8 billion of this, 70 per cent, was spent on children and juveniles in child welfare institutions. The number of days spent in child welfare institutions fell by about 33 000 from 2004 to 2005.

The national child welfare service includes the initiatives that the municipal child welfare service wishes to use, but doesn’t control. Such initiatives include the placing of children in institutions, in reinforced foster homes and managing various intensive treatment initiatives in the home environment.

About 4 550 children

A total of 4 569 children were receiving assistance from the national child welfare service at the end of 2005, compared to 4 363 previous year. In Norway as a whole, 38 per 10 000 children aged less than 20 received assistance from the national child welfare service in 2005 compared to 36 per 10 000 in 2004. The share per 10 000 children aged 0-19 is still highest in Trondheim municipality and Oslo, with 56 and 52 per cent respectively. Region West and Region East are highest with 44 and 40 respectively. Region Middle is the region with least clients, at 23 per 10 000 children.

The number of children in foster homes has, however, increased from about 1 850 to more than 2 000 children, an increase of 7.7 per cent (this figure includes foster homes with a promise of reinforcement, family homes/juvenile families/§4-27 - placements and emergency shelter homes). The number of children in home-based initiatives also increased in the last year, from 876 at the end of 2004, to 1 021 in 2005, an increase of 16.6 per cent.

Different initiative profiles

Region West and Region North have the highest gross operating expenses for child welfare per capita aged 0-19, with NOK 4 288 and NOK 3 601 respectively. Both of these regions spent a relatively high proportion on institution placements, 76 and 77 per cent respectively. By way of comparison, in Region Middle, which spent the least per capita with NOK 2 173, only 65 per cent was spent on institution places for children and juveniles. The amount spent by Region South, NOK 3 052 per capita, on child welfare institutions was the lowest of all the regions. Sixty per cent of gross operating expenses went towards institution places, and a relatively high proportion, 23 per cent, to foster homes with support from the region.

Fewer days in institutions

More than NOK 2.8 billion was spent on places in child welfare institutions in 2005. A total of 558 500 treatment days were registered in 2005, compared with 592 100 in the previous year, which is a reduction of 5.7 per cent. A number of 1 539 children were in child welfare institutions at the end of 2005, compared with 1 621 children the previous year, a reduction of 5.1 per cent. This is related to the fact that stays in institutions during the course of the year increased from 4 027 in 2004 to 4 283 in 2005. The increase indicates a greater flow factor and that stays in child welfare institutions have become shorter.

Tables:

• Table 1 Key figures national child welfare. Figures for 2005
• Table 2 Figures national child welfare. Figures for 2005
• Table 3 Number of assistance from the national child welfare services during the year, and gross operating expenditure, children's institutions, by region/municipality. 2005
• Table 4 Number of children receiving assistance 31 December from the National Child Welfare Services, by type of assistance and region/municipality. 2001-2005
• Table 5 Children in children's institutions per 31 December, by type of institution and region/municipality. 2001-2005
• Table 6 Children in foster homes supported by the regional child welfare services and in ordinary foster homes per 31 December, by type of assistance and region. 2001-2005