Children's prosperity handbook - implementation of the law
Service provider:
In addition to this electronic version a PDF file in Icelandic is available.
Implementing the children's prosperity law
The implementation cycle of the Children's Prosperity Act contains seven steps; it is expected that it will take varying amounts of time for municipalities and institutions to complete the cycle. After its completion, it is important to form new goals to help maintain the success of all activities with children and their families.
The steps of the introductory round are: (see image with Icelandic text)
Starting and preparation
Evaluating the situation
Education
Action plan
Implementation
Final evaluation, feedback and procedures
New objectives and continuation
In light of the fact that most municipalities and institutions are already in the process of implementing the law, it was decided to connect the checklists for implementation status with the implementation cycle of the law. Municipalities and institutions can use the checklists to evaluate where they are in the implementation process; i.e. what has been done and what is missing, and then to draw up an action plan based on that.
The checklists on the status of implementation can be accessed both in pdf and electronic format in the following chapters. By filling out the electronic form, the municipality/agency agrees to share responses on the status of implementation with the children's prosperity department of the National Agency for Children and Families. This contributes to a greater overview of implementation status, and enables the National Agency for Children and Families to provide better assistance. For municipalities/agencies the electronic version is recommended.
The Children's Prosperity law entails changes in various areas concerning services for children and their families. It involves changes in both procedures and viewpoints in children's affairs, which can vary between municipalities and institutions.
The seven steps are detailed below, along with checklists, instructions and detailed material to support the implementation process.
The main objective here is that municipalities and institutions prioritize implementing the children's prosperity act and work according to the legislation. The departments or areas involved in services to children and families within municipalities and institutions have different sizes and structures.
It is important to examine how the needs of children and parents are met today in the organization of a municipality or institution. It is necessary to evaluate the obstacles in the administration that can complicate cooperation between departments or sectors when it comes to services for children and parents. It is necessary to examine the channels and current procedures between departments or sectors, and clarify and define cooperation, roles and responsibilities of all parties. It is also necessary to take into account the cooperation agreements that may exist between municipalities and institutions on projects that concern children and their families, such as child protection, school affairs, social services and more.
The law on children's prosperity covers all services within the school system: in pre-school, primary and secondary schools, in the home and social centres. It also covers services provided within the healthcare system, in health centres, health institutions and hospitals, social services, child protection services and services for disabled children, as well as police tasks. All those who manage services for children need to talk and know about the children's prosperity law and cooperation that it involves, both within a municipality or institution, but also with other systems and institutions.
The goal of the law is to create a multi-disciplinary cooperation within the systems that provide services to children and families. The main goal of the law is to break down barriers between the systems, and all local service providers need to join in. It is important to involve everyone when the law is introduced and ensure a dialogue, right at the beginning, with everyone who provides services for children within the limits of the municipality.
Widespread involvement of the service providers in implementing the project can be very important when it comes to its success. Bringing everyone to the table at the beginning increases the chances of better and swifter implementation. It is clear that cooperation in individual cases will be better when general consultation and dialogue between service providers is also undertaken. Everyone needs to be aware that when it comes to an implementation of this size, where many service providers come together, there can be disagreements at all levels and there can be decades of different traditions or experiences behind them. Such disagreements must be resolved as soon as possible. It is recommended to look closely at the picture Cooperating parties implementing the children's prosperity law (in Icelandic).
In this context, it is important that a person be appointed who is responsible for implementing the law. Some municipalities or institutions have taken the approach of creating a position around implementing the law while others assign this responsibility to a person who is already in other positions there. It is important to ensure that the responsible person has the time, space and support needed to work on implementing the law. It should be kept in mind that the scope of the responsibility of the responsible person can vary greatly depending on the size and nature of the services that the municipality or institution provides. Also, some municipalities and institutions have an agreement with another one that provides services for children, the responsible person for implementing the law is the responsible person for both.
It is also important that the responsible person within the municipality or institution set up a steering group. The steering group consists of staff members with different backgrounds and from different fields involved in services to children and families. The person responsible for implementing the law is also responsible for the work of the steering group during the implementation process.
Checklist
Report template
Useful links
Before making any changes, it is important to understand where the municipality or institution is today with regards to implementing the children's prosperity law. The steering group for children's prosperity implementation starts by answering the accompanying checklists with the aim of assessing the compliance of the municipality or institution. The responsible person for implementing the law and the steering group can seek information from outside the group if needed and/or get support from the National Agency for Children and Families.
It is recommended that the steering group study the checklists at its first meeting and answer them together. The steering group can then divide the tasks, i.e. who takes the responsibility for finding answers in the cases they need to look at further. It is also recommended that the steering group have the checklists in a common area so that all members of the steering group can submit answers. It is good to set a certain date to have completed finding all answers so that the supervisor of the implementation of the children's prosperity law has the opportunity to summarise the results. At the next meeting the results are then presented and discussed.
When all the checklists have been answered, the supervisor compiles the results of the implementation of the law and reviews them with the steering group. The supervisor can send the summary to the National Agency for Children and Families and request support and/or useful suggestions. The steering group then builds an action plan for the implementation of the children's prosperity law based on these results.
Checklists
Checklist 2.2 - levels of child prosperity services - list of options (Word) - Web form (in Icelandic)
Checklist 2.3 - handling personal information in service integration (Word) - Web form (in Icelandic)
Checklist 2.4 - Contact persons for children's prosperity (health services, municipalities, schools) (Word) - Web form (in Icelandic)
(Word) - Web form (in Icelandic)
Appendices and useful links
Child prosperity services - from general to specialized service - Word
Example of service levels for children's prosperity - (in Icelandic)- EXCEL
Rules about goals and procedures with handling of personal data (in Icelandic)
Request to send personal information to contact persons or case managers (in Icelandic)
Children's prosperity checklist for health service providers (in Icelandic) - PDF
Children's prosperity checklist for healthy preschools (in Icelandic) - PDF (Also available electronically in the healthy preschool system)
Children's prosperity checklist for healthy elementary schools (in Icelandic) - PDF (Also available electronically in the healthy elementary school system)
Children's prosperity checklist for healthy secondary schools (in Icelandic) - PDF (Also available electronically in the healthy secondary school system)
Support materials from the National Agency for Children and Families for child prosperity case managers (in Icelandic)
Estimating the cost of children's prosperity contact persons and case managers (video, in Icelandic)
It is important that education about the children's prosperity law be an integral part of its implementation by municipalities and institutions. Education is the foundation for successful implementation, and it is important that it be effective and coordinated.
It is recommended that education about the law focus first on those who are responsible for providing services to children and their parents. Knowledge of the children's prosperity law and the responsibility it places on service providers is a prerequisite for parents and children to receive the right assistance, at the right time from the right parties. When necessary changes have been made at a municipality or institution in order to implement the children's prosperity law in all its administrative systems and service institutions, it is time to introduce the law to children and parents.
Education about the children's prosperity law should be extended to all employees of municipalities and institutions involved in services to children. Creating an overview of the staff involved is good preparation, and it is important to look at the group in a broad context, from those who provide services to children directly to those who have the power to decide on the budget for services to children.
It is useful to create an educational programme about the law with different emphases and priorities based on the groups it is aimed at. General education for large groups in different parties involved in services for children can be useful in the early stages of implementation. More specialized education for smaller groups is also necessary, and provides opportunities for reflection, and dialogue on what may be unclear.
Taking into account the participation of children and young people is important when organizing educational activities for them, as to their form, content and structure. The toolkit on UNICEF participation for children in the links below can be useful.
The person for responsible for implementing the children's prosperity laws for a municipality or institution, in cooperation with its managers, is also responsible for providing the necessary education to its service providers. The supporting material below from the National Agency for Children and Families can be used for that purpose, or as a foundation to build on. Also, children's prosperity staff at the National Agency for Children and Families can assist in the planning of the education and materials if requested.
Templates
Useful links
The action plan for implementing the measure should clearly outline the objectives of the municipality or institution in implementing the measure. The person responsible for implementing the measure and the steering group oversee the preparation of the action plan, and select actions based on the results of their assessment. It is important that the actions set out in the plan be clear and well defined, that they be accompanied by timeframes, and that a supervisor be appointed for each action.
The role of the action coordinator is not to implement the action on his or her own, but rather to be the spokesperson for the action and supervise it. The person designated as the action coordinator must be informed about that role, and the expectations concerning it. It might also be appropriate to set up task force groups to work specifically on certain actions of the programme, in cooperation with the action coordinators.
Actions in the children's prosperity implementation plan may include, for example, increased cooperation between different services for children, definition of different service levels, the creation of a municipal or institutional resource list, the appointment of children's prosperity contact persons and case managers, and definition of the procedures relating to their roles and tasks. The action plan should also include an educational programme involving service providers, and education for children and parents regarding service integration.
Some actions are more extensive and time-consuming than others, in those cases it is important to define its objectives well, and break it down into smaller manageable elements that all aim to achieve the ultimate goal.
When a draft action plan is ready, the municipality/institution is welcome to send it to the children's prosperity department at the National Agency for Children and Families (farsaeld@bofs.is) which can then provide feedback and assistance on individual aspects.
It is recommended that the action plan be submitted to the municipality and/or the local councils, or the supervisory boards of institutions, and formally approved. This is an important part of the taking control of the implementation. The action plan should alse be presented to the residents of the municipality and to service recipients of institutions, for instance on their websites.
Template
The coordinator of the actions and the project groups, in cooperation with the steering group, manage the implementation of individual actions and ensure that they are carried out in accordance with the action plan.
It is important to monitor and evaluate each project's progress regularly to identify deviations from the action plan, so that action can be taken to achieve the objectives.
Those responsible for implementing specific actions can contact the person with overall responsibility for implementing the law at the municipality or institution if any obstacles arise. They may also mobilize the children's prosperity steering group if necessary.
It should be noted that the person responsible for implementing the children's prosperity law has easy access to advice and support from the children's prosperity department at the National Agency for Children and Families (farsaeld@bofs.is) while that work is being done.
When the person responsible for implementing the law and the steering group of the municipality or institution feel that they have fulfilled all the actions of the action plan, the results are summarized in the final assessment. At this stage it is useful to re-fill the checklists in step 2, compare the results with the previous assessment and see if the desired results have been achieved.
After the final assessment and feedback from the National Agency for Children and Families, it is recommended that the municipality or institution establish procedures for processing cases under the children's prosperity law. The procedures should include aspects such as processing and handling of personal data, how to consult with other institutions and general service providers, and how service providers should respond when they see that the needs of children are not being met. It could also be useful to establish working procedures for contact persons and case managers in integrating services, moving cases from one level to another, and educating children and parents about the children's prosperity law and how to access services, etc. It is recommended at this stage that a request be made for feedback from the children's prosperity department of the National Agency for Children and Families (farsaeld@bofs.is). The municipality or institution can then react and make changes based on the feedback if the occasion arises.
It is recommended that the person responsible for implementing the children's prosperity law, in consultation with the steering group, introduce the procedures of the municipality or institution to all those who manage and carry out services for children. It is also recommended that the results be made public and presented to the community, for instance on the website and/or social media of the municipality or institution, through presentations or in a press release. Some municipalities have chosen to hold a special children's prosperity day with all those who provide services for children at the municipality. Such days create a platform for presentations and discussions about the new procedures, and new ways of thinking based on the law.
Maintaining success in activities with children and families is a never-ending process, as the provisions of the law can change, as well as children's and families' circumstances and environment. Therefore, constant review is necessary to ensure that the spirit of the law is maintained in municipalities and institutions.
In this context, it is important that the person responsible for implementing the law on child welfare, along with the steering group, set new goals and strategy for how to maintain its work on children's prosperity in the municipality or institution concerning services for children. This can include factors such as personnel changes in the responsible persons for providing and providing child welfare services, updating the resource lists, and education for parents and children.
Regional councils are an important link in the development of new goals. According to Article 5 of the law on integration of services for children's prosperity, municipalities are required to appoint a regional council for children's prosperity. The councils appoint representatives of service providers under the auspices of the state and municipalities, who play a key role in ensuring the well-being of children in the region. The councils are intended to create a forum for consultation and planning regarding actions for the benefit of children. The councils shall also consult with representatives of service recipients in the region, for instance through the participation of youth councils in the preparation of an action plan and assessing priorities. It is important to pay close attention to the composition and work of the councils to which the municipality or institution belongs.
One of the roles of regional councils for children's prosperity is to draw up an action plan setting out the priorities for a four-year period. The action plan takes into account the parliamentary resolution on child prosperity and the state implementation plan, as well as the results of the regional child prosperity councils. Municipalities draw up reports on the progress of the regional priority action plans every two years. The plans and reports shall be sent to the Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare (GEV).
With the establishment of the children's prosperity dashboard (see link below), the councils of child welfare and other parties involved in child services can use existing statistical data in a meaningful way, including when prioritizing actions and evaluating the impact of actions of public bodies, the state and municipalities. Data is compiled according to these criteria which shed light on the state of children's prosperity in Iceland in a comprehensive manner. The dashboard is based on five pillars of children's prosperity, with the objective of providing an overview of its status in Iceland at any given time, with emphasis on vulnerable groups and social challenges. At the same time, it is intended to monitor the development of children's prosperity over time, and help evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the law. In this context, a new project and promotion manager is to be hired to work on projects related to the well-being of children and young people in Iceland. That manager will work closely with the University of Iceland's Educational Research Institute, local authorities, the Ministry of Education and Children and other parties involved in research concerning Icelandic youth.
In the spring of 2024, the first agreement to create regional children's prosperity councils was signed by the Minister of Education and Children and the director of the Association of Local Authorities in west Iceland, when west Iceland became the first part of the country to form a regional children's prosperity council. Below, in the useful links section, you can find a story published on the website of the council at the time of the signing of the agreement.
It should be noted that the work involving the regional councils is still being developed and their form may differ from one region to another. The above information may therefore change with increased knowledge and experience. Municipalities that have not operated a regional council are encouraged to examine what their benefits could be with other nearby municipalities.