Child welfare, 2011

From 2010 to 2011 there was an increase of 2 300 children who were the subject of measures by the Child Welfare Services. In the same time period, the number of FTEs has seen a rise of 491, totalling 4 017. NOK 8.8 billion to the Child Welfare ServicesThe total expenditure for the Child Welfare Services grew by more than NOK 1 billion from 2010, and totalled almost NOK 8.8 billion in 2011. Some of this 14 per cent climb can be attributed to the increased wage bill as a result of the higher number of FTEs in the Child Welfare Services in 2011.

Rise in investigation cases

In 2011, the Child Welfare Services initiated 35 100 investigation cases. This is a rise of almost 7 per cent, or 2 200 cases. There where 31 investigation cases per 1 000 children (0-17 years). The child welfare services , school , parents and police initiated investigations in slightly more than half of the cases in 2011.

Assistance measures most used

Assistance measures accounted for 84 per cent of all measures by the Child Welfare Services in 2011. The remaining 16 per cent were the subject of care measures, which have a higher degree of intervention. The most commonly used measure in 2011 was advice and guidance , with 19 600 active measures during the year, covering 38 per cent of the children who were subject to measures by the Child Welfare Services.

More measures for boys than girls

There were more boys than girls receiving assistance from the Child Welfare Service in 2011; in total 28 650 boys and 23 400 girls, giving a share of respectively 55 and 45 per cent.

Placement measures

By the end of 2011 there were approximately 38 000 children who were subject to measures. Of these children, more than a third where placed outside their own family, either as a care or assistance measure. This means that about 9 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.

14 200 new children subject to child welfare services

Children who were not registered in the statistics the previous year are categorised as new children in the statistics. In 2011 there were 14 200 new children who were subject to measures by the Child Welfare Services, a rise of 4 per cent compared to the 2010 figures. The most commonly used measure for the new children was advice and guidance , which covered approximately 47 per cent.