Almost all municipalities fail when placing children

Ivo's supervision shows that there are deficiencies in 97 percent of the municipalities inspected. Almost nine out of ten need to develop their handling of reports of concern. Two out of three are lacking in various ways in the controls before children and young people are placed in family homes or privately run businesses.

- These are people who are often in a very vulnerable situation and it is important that society's safety net is as fine-meshed as it is supposed to be, says director general John Ahlberk.

Works well

How it is that so many of the country's municipalities have shortcomings of varying degree and scope has not been examined, but John Ahlberk points out that the country's social services have an extensive and complex mission. There are also areas that work well.

- For example, we see that a great many of the municipalities make initial protection assessments when they have reason to do so. We also see that all municipalities state that they examine the reasons why children and young people are placed in, for example, family homes with the required regularity.

A positive result of the inspection is that several municipalities have started improvement work.

- All municipalities have returned to us with reports of the measures they have implemented and plan to implement to deal with these challenges.

Takes effect

Because the winds have been so extensive and entail such serious risks, the supervision will be followed up.

- We will continue to have the spotlight on this area. It is important that the initiatives that the municipalities have reported to us are also carried out and that they have a concrete effect for the children and young people for whom the regulations are intended.