Measures for children and young people should be decided without consent
Published:
The social welfare committee in a municipality should be able to decide on measures for children, young people and their custodians even without the consent of those concerned.
The Riksdag has voted in favour of the Government’s proposal for new legislation and amendments to legislation including the Social Services Act. The decision includes the following:
- that the social welfare committee should be able to set specific conditions for such measures – for example that the young person in question should stay sober and drug-free, which can be followed up with drug tests;
- that electronic monitoring may be used in some cases;
- that a custodian not following a decision regarding such a measure may be required to pay a fine, an amount based on his or her income;
- that it should be possible for a custodian to receive temporary parental benefit when he or she participates in certain measures; and
- that the social welfare committee shall hold a serious conversation with a child or a young person if it is the first time he or she has been suspected of an offence that may lead to imprisonment.
The legislative amendments, apart from electronic monitoring, are proposed to take effect on 2 January 2027. The legislative amendment regarding electronic monitoring is proposed to take effect on a date determined by the Government.