The National Agency for Children and Families
Questions and answers concerning the National Agency for Children and Families
Here are some questions and answers related to issues involving the National Agency for Children and Families.
Questions and answers about Children's Prosperity
The short answer is yes, the children's prosperity program is for all children in Iceland and their families.
Integration of services for children's prosperity is on the other handed intended for those who need personalized support which requires the cooperation of multiple service systems.
The laws on children's prosperity focus on strengthening basic services in the local environment of all children.
Children who need individualized services now have access to contact points and case managers for children's prosperity. They are intended to guide parents through the jungle which the system can sometimes be. The role of these parties is well defined and they have the flexibility and time to do their job to serve the child’s interests and prosperity.
The location of the contact point depends on the age of the child:
During pregnancy and in the infant phase: a health care professional - for example, midwife or nurse in infant care.
In preschool, primary school or secondary school: a school employee – for example, the department head, developmental coach or counselor.
For children and young people who do not have one of the above: the contact person for social services of their local municipality.
More about contacts and their roles can be found on the Children's Prosperity website.
The short answer is no, not all matters need to be integrated in order for a child to receive assistance and support. In some cases, support at the primary level is sufficient and all children have access to it.
For those children who need further assistance and for whom integration of services is in the interest of the child's prosperity, a request can be made to that effect.
No, not at all. If there is a working team around a child and the teamwork and cooperation is successful, there is no need to request integration of services.
However, if there are problems with coordination between different systems, it is worth considering whether integration of services would be in the interest of the child’s well-being.
Integrated services are offered to children and their families, but if parents choose to do so, they can themselves get services such as individualized support, without service integration taking place.
The law is not a replacement for services that are already required to be provided, but is intended as a supplement to aid children and parents, to ensure the comprehensive overview of key actors, and to ensure that those who provide services work together to protect the interests of the child.
The request for information sharing is a form that a parent and/or child fills out, which allows the service provider, or the provider of general services in the interest of the child's prosperity, to compile information about the situation of the child and to share it with the contact person. The form permits only this specific communication to this particular contact. The contact does not have the right to share that information with anyone other than the parents and/or the child once it has been received.
The request for service integration is a form filled out by a parent and/or child requesting that services to a child be integrated. The request allows contact persons, case managers, service providers and those who provide services for the child's prosperity to process information about a child, in order to ensure that he or she receive organized and continuous service.
No, it is not necessary in every case.
The request for information sharing is a form for those who share information at the request of parents to the contact person and/or the case manager for child prosperity. If parents choose to seek out the contact person without intermediation, the request for information should not be filled out.
However, integration of services cannot begin until a request for service integration has been completed with the appropriate form.
The legislation on child welfare does not provide a simple answer to this question. This question must be examined in the context of other laws where the child is concerned, e.g. the child protection laws and the patient laws.
Some sections are aimed at both parents while others are aimed at the parent at the child's legal address. The interests of the child must always be a guiding principle.
No, it is not one of the roles of the contact person for child prosperity to assemble and manage the support team.
The role of the contact person is to make an initial assessment of the service needs of the child and the family who seek out the contact person, and to assess with them whether there is a need for service integration. If service integration is in the interest of the child’s prosperity, the role of the contact person is to organize and follow up on the cooperation of service providers for timely support. The contact needs to know the available resources at the first level of service, and be able to identify which ones could be useful for parents and/or the child in solving the challenges they face. The contact person can be seen as a guide for the family, who leads them on and facilitates their path through the complex systems involved in the service to the child.
It is not a role of the contact point to assemble a support team, draw up a support plan and manage teamwork at either the first, second or third service level. If it is considered necessary to assemble a support team, the contact point should reflect on the matter with the children's prosperity case manager, and evaluate whether it is necessary to transfer the matter to him or her. If that is the conclusion then that case manager takes over, assembles a support team, draws up a support plan, and manages the work of the support team.
Questions and answers about notifying the child protection services
Notification about the child is made to the child protection services where the child lives.
See the overview of child protection services by municipality.
During daytime hours, child protection services staff provide information and receive notifications. Outside daytime hours, on weekends and holidays, you can reach the back shift for emergency child protection cases at the 112 telephone hotline.
If you are worried about a child and think that they are not being well looked after, you should report it to the child protection services.
According to law, everyone is obliged to report to the child protection services if they have reason to believe that a child:
is living in an unacceptable situation for its upbringing ,
has suffered violence or other degrading behavior, or
has put their health and development at serious risk.
The same applies to the health and life of an unborn child. For example, if it is put at risk because of the substance use or behavior of a pregnant woman, or because a pregnant woman is being subjected to violence.
If you are in doubt, contact child protection services.
If you are worried, you should report the matter. Your reporting may be very important for the child or children in question.
Some people are concerned that the situation is not sufficiently serious or that the notification might create unnecessary problems, but it is the responsibility of the child protection service to assess the concerns and whether assistance is needed.
You must always give your name to child protection staff, so that they can contact you if they need further information, but you can request that anonymity be kept about the notification with everyone else. If you are unsure whether you should share your concerns, you can call and have a consultation with child protection staff in your area of residence.
If the notification is made under a name, the processing of the case will often be easier because its origin is clear.
Yes, the child protection law emphasizes the obligation of those who work with children to monitor and alert child protection services if necessary. The obligation to report under the child protection laws overrides the provisions of the law or ethical guidelines on professional secrecy.
See the procedures for school and health care professionals. (link)
No. The Child Protection Authority has a confidentiality obligation regarding its communications with individuals or families, and therefore cannot disclose any personal information about individual cases except to those who are the parties to the case – usually the child and its parents.
Yes, you should. Having reported a case once should not prevent a case being reported again. Cases can take time, can change and sometimes it is difficult to get cooperation with parents. Therefore it can be good to get the most information possible about the case.
Because of confidentiality with families who receive help from child protection services, you will not be able to know what child protection has done since you last reported. Nevertheless, it is important that you contact child protection services if you have concerns, and explain why.
You will not be a party to the case if you report. The parties to the case are only those who are directly affected by it, who are usually the parents and the child.
A notification to child protection services is not a complaint but a request for assistance for the child/family concerned, which the notifier considers necessary. Parents or those with whom the child resides are obliged to assist the child protection services during the examination of the case.
It is completely normal to ask child protection service employees about the parents' rights, and how the investigation is conducted, as employees are required to instruct parents and children about their rights.