Supervision of foster homes

The purpose of the supervision is to ensure that the child receives proper care and that the conditions for the placement are complied with.

On 1 February 2014, an amendment in section 4-22 of the Child Welfare Act transferred responsibility for supervision from the municipal child welfare service to the municipality as such. This change in the law gave municipalities a greater and more comprehensive responsibility for the supervision.

At the same time, municipalities were given more freedom to decide how responsibility for the supervision was to be administered and who was to carry out the supervision on the municipality’s behalf. The municipality has the overall responsibility for ensuring that supervision fully conforms with professional standards and with statutes and rules.

The amendment removes the term ‘tilsynsfører’ [supervisor] from the Child Welfare Act and revokes the requirement that supervision be carried out by specific persons appointed for the specific child.

However, there is nothing to prevent the municipality from choosing to use the current supervisors in cases where this arrangement has functioned satisfactorily.

The new provisions also oblige the municipality to ensure that persons charged with carrying out supervision on behalf of the municipality are given the necessary training and guidance.

Supervision of children in foster homes is further regulated by sections 8 and 9 of the regulations of 18 December 2003 No. 1659 relating to foster homes.