Municipal welfare leaders say state failed children

The state failed to ensure appropriate treatment for children with complex needs, the board of Velferð, an association of municipal welfare service managers, said in a statement reported by mbl.is.

Municipalities turned to private providers because the state had not established enough specialised treatment options, the association said. It said the government had closed specialised treatment homes without creating replacements, leaving municipalities with few alternatives when children were in urgent need.

Velferð said it deplored the conditions described in a Kveik report, including inadequate care, the use of force and a lack of qualified staff. But it criticised public discussion for focusing on municipalities and supervisory bodies without addressing what it called the root of the problem.

The association said private services had not emerged from a municipal policy of privatisation, but in response to an emergency after the state closed specialised treatment homes without building new ones. It also said Stuðlar, which provides emergency placements and assessments under the law, could not serve as a long-term option for children with complex needs.

Velferð cited Article 79 of the Child Protection Act, which it said obliges the state to operate specialised treatment homes and institutions. Such services had been lacking for years, with little progress in developing them despite government statements, the association said.

Municipal child protection services are responsible for monitoring children’s wellbeing and conditions in placements, speaking regularly with children and their families, and acting if conditions are unacceptable, Velferð said. The Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare is responsible for overseeing operating licences.

The association said suitable treatment options must be available when oversight uncovers serious shortcomings. It welcomed plans for the government to take over the operation of specialised services for children with complex support needs, but said adequate facilities, safe staffing and a professional working environment must be in place before changes are implemented.

Velferð called on the state and municipalities to work together to build a safe child protection system that puts children’s rights and welfare first, rather than shifting responsibility between authorities.