Child welfare, 2012

The marked increase of 6 percent, to a total of 9 000, in children with care measures does not change the fact that the vast majority of the 53 200 children (0-22 years) in the Child Welfare Services receive assistance measures. In 2012, 83 per cent of the children received assistance measures and 17 per cent care measures. From 2011 to 2012 the weakest growth in ten years was registered both for the total number of children receiving Child Welfare Services and the number of children receiving assistance measures, with respectively an increase of 2 and 1 percent. As in previous years, there were more boys than girls receiving assistance from the Child Welfare Service in 2012; in total 29 100 boys and 24 000 girls, giving a share of respectively 55 and 45 per cent.

Almost NOK 9,9 billion to the Child Welfare Services

The total expenditure for the Child Welfare Services grew with NOK 1 billion from 2011 and totaled at almost NOK 9,9 billion in 2012, representing almost a 13 per cent rise. The expenditure in 2012 covers, among others, 4 375 man-years in the Child Welfare Services. The reporting system on man-years was changed in 2012 and therefore comparison with earlier years should be done with caution.

Care measures more common in the North

By the end of 2012 almost 12 per 1 000 children (0-17) had care measures. The figures for 2012 show that the counties Finnmark, Nord-Trøndelag, Nordland and Troms have the highest share of children with care measures compared to the national average, which in 2012 was 7 per 1 000 children.

Rise in measures

In 2012 a total of 120 200 measures were registered. This was approximately a 2 per cent rise compared to 2011. The most used measure in 2012 was advice and guidance; registered 21 200 times, covering almost 40 per cent of all children with measures. In 2012 there was a decrease in many of the more traditional measures such as: Kindergarten, leisure activity, after school support, visit home/relief home, economic assistance and person selected to support child.

Increase in placement measure

By the end of 2012 there were approximately 13 900 children placed outside of their family home, either as a care- or assistance measure, a 6 per cent increase from 2011. This means that about 10 per 1 000 children (0-22 years) were placed by the Child Welfare Services. Foster homes covered 7 out of 10 of the placement measures.

14 000 new children – a slight decline

Children who were not registered in the statistics the previous year are categorized as new children in the statistics. In 2012 there were 14 000 new children with measures from the Child Welfare Services, a reduction of 1 percent compared to the 2011 figures. Of the new children approximately 96 percent receive assistance measures and 4 percent care measures.

Fewer investigation cases

In 2012 the Child Welfare Services initiated 34 600 investigation cases. This is almost 500 fewer investigation cases than in 2011, and a decrease of more than 1 percent. In 2012 there were 30 investigation cases per 1 000 children (0-17 years). Parents, school, police and the child welfare services took initiative to investigation in just over half of the cases.