Before child protection services house a child outside the home, their employees draw up a written plan according to Article 33 of the Child Protection Act, called a plan for secure custody. It specifies the kind of care intended, how long the care should last, the objectives of the care, support for the child and others, as well as other matters that are relevant. The support to be provided during the care, and specified in the plan, is based on the needs of the child as assessed based on the results of a survey. The plan for secure custody shall address how the results will be evaluated for each and every measure, intervention or service.

The support provided in foster care can include:

• therapy for the child, such as interviews with a psychologist, psychiatrist or other

• further services for the child, such as healthcare, pharmaceutical treatment and training

• assistance for foster parents

• regular consultations with, as appropriate, the child, biological parents, foster parents, child protection representatives, case manager, therapist and/or others

• visits by child protection officers to foster homes

• help with interpersonal relations and contacts

• other issues

When a child's problems require special care and training, the support is generally more comprehensive. In Article 33, a plan for such accommodation could include, in addition to the above, special training for children with specific difficulties, special support in school, increased work contribution by foster parents, and other support for the child, the biological parents, or the foster parents.

When a foster contract is made, support arrangements should be specified in detail. If the child experiences further difficulties after arrival at a foster home, it is necessary to examine in cooperation with foster parents whether there is a need for increased support.

Rights of the foster children

The Child Protection Act specifically mentions the rights of children in foster care. The child protection services shall provide the necessary support to the child in foster care according to the foster contract. Foster parents shall cooperate with support measures, for example by participating in services and when needed and following up on measures taken, over the duration of foster care.

Children have the right to know why they are in foster care, and what plans are made for their future, in accordance with their age and development. They have the right to a good living environment with foster parents, and that the foster parents take care of them with the greatest care, as best suits the children's interests and needs.

When a child is placed in in foster care, child protection services shall contribute to the stability of the child's development, to minimise disruption to his or her life. An attempt should always be made to place siblings in foster care together if at all possible. It should be remembered that when a child's life has changed, the future appears to be scary. Cooperation between all parties, child protection authorities and foster parents, is conducive to creating a feeling of safety.

The foster child has the right to stability, secure conditions, and a healthy home environment with foster parents. Foster parents need to be aware that they may need to change their ways, traditions and habits, and to be flexible in order to meet the needs of the foster child. Foster children have the right to have their culture taken into consideration, and to maintain a connection with their origins and cultural background. Therefore, foster parents need to make an effort to get to know the child, his or her traditions, habits and culture. The child protection staff should share information that foster parents need to be able to do this.

Foster children have the right to maintain contact with their parents and others close to them, especially during short-term foster care where the goal is for the family to re-unite at the end of the foster care. It is worth noting that the foster child's contact with his or her parents, relatives or other key characters may cause emotional distress. The child may need support from the foster parents in the contact. It may be that that does not necessarily conform to the foster parent’s ideas about support, therefore it is important that the foster parent takes good note of and listens to the needs of the child. The role of child protection officer is then to support the foster parents in supporting the foster child according to his or her needs. It may also be useful for child protection services to have a supervisor support the foster parents in this role. Children who have reached the age of 15 can demand contact with their biological family.

The foster child should have a contact person at the child protection services with whom he or she can communicate. The child protection worker who handles the case of the child should take care that the foster child knows how to get in touch. It is often the case that the foster parents initiate this communication, and the child protection staff should explain to the foster child and the foster parents how the child can contact them.

Supporting a child

During foster care, child protection services should monitor the condition of the child and the child's well-being, and whether the measure is achieving its purpose. The needs of foster children for support can vary depending on their age and development, their needs can also change depending on how long they have been in foster care.

Attention must be paid to cooperation when support is arranged for the child. Child protection services that place a child in foster care must evaluate which parties must cooperate, for instance schools, kindergartens or other parties.

Child protection service staff should visit the child at least once a year, and more often if necessary. It may be necessary to visit the foster home frequently at the beginning of the stay, while the child is adjusting to new circumstances and getting to know the foster parents. During the visits, there must be a conversation with the child, and other important information must be gathered so that the child's well-being can be assessed. When discussing the child, the objectives of the foster care must always be kept in mind. If the foster care is short-term and the child is planning to return home, discuss what is happening at the child's home, based on its age and development, and what ideas the child has about returning home. If the foster care is long-term, the child must be helped to establish roots in the foster home, while acknowledging his or her biological parents and their shared past.

Support for biological parents

If the foster care is temporary and the goal is to return the child to the parents' house, one of the main prerequisites for success is that the parents are assisted in changing the circumstances that led to the child's placement in foster care. They can also be assisted in dealing with the child's problems in other ways. If this work does not take place, the risk is that the child will return to the same situation and the problems will continue, despite all the disruptions that have occurred in the life of the child during the time of the foster care. Therefore, biological parents need to be clear about what they need to deal with and change during the child's foster care. It is also important that parents are invited to a consultation meeting (team meetings) with child protection staff and foster parents, where the purpose and goals of the foster care measure are reviewed and evaluated.

It is very difficult for most people to watch their child in foster care, whether it is short-term or long-term foster care. Parents can easily see it as a sign that they have failed, and can be afraid of being condemned by society. Not least they miss their children, and it hurts them to not be able to watch them in their daily life; how they grow, develop and cope with life. The reason for a child going into foster care is not that parents do not care for the child. In cases of custodial deprivation, parents often feel that they have been subjected to severe injustice; anger can be directed at both child protection services and foster parents. In this context, it is clear that parents need to be supported well during this period. By ensuring that they receive regular support, whether it be from a child protection service member or another specialist, it is possible to help parents cope with the emotions that arise. This can also create more peace about the measure, and the child can then enjoy more contact.

Support for foster parents

The child protection services are required to prepare foster parents for their role before the child is assigned to them in foster care. This includes interviewing with foster parents, and providing information about the child, his or her history and status, as well as other things that may be useful. Foster care is a team effort of child protection services employees, foster parents, and, as the case may be, other parties involved in caring for or supporting the child. It is important that the foster parents are part of the team in short-term foster care, because the goal is for the child to go home again. Support for foster parents when the child arrives at the foster home is extremely important, and has a big impact on whether the goal of the foster care is achieved. It is necessary that foster parents receive support and guidance in their role.

Part of support is information to foster parents during the period of foster care. As part of follow-up, child protection staff members shall communicate the following information to foster parents during that time:

• how the foster care goals are working

• how parents can manage their goals

• how the child interacts with parents

• the possibility that the child's intervention needs to be extended or completed earlier than planned

When foster care becomes long-term, it must be taken into account that the foster parents are in fact the same as the parents. Foster parents must be informed of how the child is doing if the child is under any kind of treatment or therapy, for instance with a psychologist, at a children's hospital or at a treatment home. Also, they should receive all information that can affect the well-being of the child in foster care, for instance about the status of a court case when matters related to the child are being handled by the courts.

Guidance for foster parents

In order to achieve the goals and success of foster care, foster parents need to be instructed and educated to perform their role properly.

The child protection services that place a child into foster care must provide support to foster parents, part of which is to evaluate whether additional guidance for foster parents could be useful, as specified in the foster care contract. When foster care starts and the foster contract has been made, it should be decided who will provide the foster parents with guidance and in their role, how the form of supervision will be and to what extent. Supervision and guidance have the aim of promoting foster care objectives. It is good to consider what the needs of the child are, and find a professional that specializes in the knowledge that benefits the foster parents, so that they can receive appropriate education to perform their role.

Even if there is a good relationship between the child protection services employee and the foster parents, it can be beneficial to have an outside professional handle the supervision. The supervision is not only guidance and education for foster parents, it also benefits them in the complex role they perform. The child protection service employee must find an appropriate professional to handle the supervision; if the foster parents request a certain person, the child protection services shall examine in relation to the processing of the case whether that person is best suited to perform this role. The professional who handles the supervision must have educational credentials and the required professional accreditation. Foster parents may choose to seek supervision at their own expense from a different party than the one that the child protection services have agreed to pay for.

Providers of professional care to the foster child may give guidance to the foster parents related to the child’s treatment. However, it is not desirable for the professional care provider to also supervise the foster parents, as this could affect the relationship between the provider and the foster child.