For young persons in a dialogue process

If you, your parents, and child welfare services agree, the county social welfare board may invite you to a dialogue meeting where you can discuss things and try to resolve the case. A board chair and an expert member from the county social welfare board will also be there to help you through the dialogue. You, your parents and child welfare services will discuss what is important for you, how you are doing, and what you want to happen in your life.

You have the right to your own lawyer who will accompany you during the meeting. Your lawyer will help you to express whatever is important to you, where you want to live, or other topics that you feel are important.

Remember - you can choose your own lawyer.

It is essential that you talk to your lawyer before you attend the meeting. If there are any particular things you are worried about or wondering about, you can discuss this with your lawyer. Your lawyer can also pass on messages to the board chair if there are any special circumstances, so that we can try to help you feel safer at the meeting. If there is anything you are wondering about in connection with the case or dialogue process, you can either talk to your lawyer or contact the county social welfare board by phone. Here you can find the contact information to the various boards.

We usually start the dialogue meeting at the county social welfare board at 9 am and continue until around 12 noon, with breaks. If you like, you can bring someone you trust along to the dialogue meeting. We call this a “person of trust”. You can decide whether you want to attend part of the meeting, or you can decide not to attend. Your lawyer will be at the dialogue meeting to explain your opinions on the case to everyone else.

Talk to your lawyer about how you want to participate in the meeting, so that he or she can explain this to the board chair. Remember that the dialogue process is voluntary. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

The meeting may result in an agreement to try different things, such as assistance measures, for a certain period to see if this improves the situation. You may also agree that it is best for you to move to another home. If so, the board chair will write a decision for this. The meeting may also end without any agreement. If so, the case will go on to the negotiation meeting.