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Child welfare removal of infants: Exploring policies and principles for decision-making in Nordic countries

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  • Hestbæk, Anne-Dorthe
  • Höjer, Ingrid
  • Pösö, Tarja
  • Skivenes, Marit

Abstract

This descriptive policy analysis examines the position of infants’ rights in the family service orientated child welfare systems of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden when being placed in out-of-home care. Its focus is on the contexts of, and legal procedures for, removing babies from home into public care. Children under the age of one year are taken into public care mainly through voluntary and emergency measures. Analysis of the development over a decade displays big intra-country differences in the prevalence of infant removal, varying from 2 per 1000 to 8 per 1000. The scant prevalence of public policy, practice guidelines and research indicates that infant removal is in some ways an anomaly, an unspoken leaf in the Nordic child welfare systems, whereas the Nordic welfare states otherwise extensively support families with young children through universal interventions. The findings invite to a re-examination of the rights of infants and their specific needs in the welfare states in order to establish responsive and efficient child protection systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Hestbæk, Anne-Dorthe & Höjer, Ingrid & Pösö, Tarja & Skivenes, Marit, 2020. "Child welfare removal of infants: Exploring policies and principles for decision-making in Nordic countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:108:y:2020:i:c:s019074091930670x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104572
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, 2016. "Fairness for Children. A league table of inequality in child well-being in rich countries," Papers inreca830, Innocenti Report Card.
    2. UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, 2017. "Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries," Papers inreca890, Innocenti Report Card.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luhamaa, Katre & McEwan-Strand, Amy & Ruiken, Barbara & Skivenes, Marit & Wingens, Florian, 2021. "Services and support for mothers and newborn babies in vulnerable situations: A study of eight European jurisdictions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    2. Wise, Sarah & King, Jason & Sleight, Julie & Omerogullari, Stella & Samuels, Lorne & Morris, Alicia & Skeen, Trezalia, 2024. "An Aboriginal-led, systemic solution to Aboriginal baby removals in Australia: Development of the Bringing Up Aboriginal Babies at Home program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    3. Juhasz, Ida Benedicte, 2020. "Child welfare and future assessments – An analysis of discretionary decision-making in newborn removals in Norway," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).

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