Analysis of policy frameworks for ‘children in care’ in Sweden

In a joint South African and Swedish research study, policy frameworks for children in care were analysed in regard to children’s rights and accessibility to participate in decisions on care. The research group has during phase one in the study developed a series of questions to analyse the most relevant legislations in regard to children in care. Thus, for the Swedish part of the analysis four legislations were selected; the Social Services Act (SSA), the Children and Parents Code (CPC), the Care of Young Persons Act (CYPA) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (since 2020 a part of the Swedish legislation).

An analysis model was applied to these legislations, posing the following seven questions on children’s participation. What participation is, different understandings of children’s participation. Further, participation Concerning what? that is, in what decisions? Why participation, which includes the reasons and values underlying children’s participation. How, when, and where participation should be exercised. Also, Who should participate, with the added underlying question of who should promote participation.

These questions were applied to the different legislations in order to scrutinize the access for children to become active agents in their own care. This form of inclusion could also become a model for an empower-driven participative influence in the decisions of fundamental importance to the society’s future well-being. Results from the analysis will be presented at the conference.