How we work to ensure openness in the Child Welfare Tribunal

We make sure that all relevant information about our procedures and decisions is easily accessible to those affected by them and to the public. We publish around 20% of all decisions made by the Child Welfare Tribunal on Lovdata. On our website, you can find guidelines and handbooks for how cases are processed, as well as useful information about the case process, the types of cases we hear, children’s participation, and common questions for those who are scheduled to appear before the tribunal.

We provide regular reporting on our work and our results. This includes publishing annual reports and other relevant documents that offer insight into our activities and priorities. We also publish statistics for use in, among other things, research projects, analyses, and by the media. We work together with the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) on the publication of statistics related to compulsory measures under the Child Welfare Act.

In November 2024, we held an internal professional meeting on openness and access to information in the Child Welfare Tribunal. How can the public’s right to information be balanced with the privacy rights of children and parents? The recommendations from our new guidance document were presented, and we heard important perspectives from Ingunn Røren and Anne Marte Moland from Aftenposten, Gloria and Mathea from the Forandringsfabrikken, and Vidar Strømme from NIM – the Norwegian National Human Rights Institution. 

In January 2025, we held an Open Day in all Child Welfare Tribunals across the country. Wanting to increase openness around our important public mandate, we invited local politicians, local media, and, for example, municipal child welfare services, expert witnesses, and other professional partners. We opened the doors to our premises, which are normally closed to the public and the press due to confidentiality obligations. Our aim was to provide insight into how we process cases and the types of issues the tribunal must consider. We showed films explaining our case-processing methods, offered guided tours of our premises, and heard valuable presentations from Marit Skivenes, the Stine Sofie Foundation, and the Ombudsman for Children.
 

In January 2026, we held our annual Transparency Seminar in Oslo – a professional day designed to strengthen insight into our work and to promote greater understanding of how we safeguard the legal protections of children and families. This year’s programme addressed key issues in the child welfare field, including children’s participation in their own cases, the use of coercion and physical intervention, and situations where children face serious risks. Through presentations from tribunal chairs, professionals, and the Ombudsman for Children, participants gained insight into current developments, challenges, and practical experience. The seminar also offered a glimpse into the everyday work at the Yttrabekken child welfare institution, which works closely with young people who have extensive needs. The Minister for Children and Families, Lene Vågsild, closed the day by outlining the way forward for the child welfare sector and emphasising the importance of trust, quality, and children’s participation.

We host an annual conference in Bergen with the aim of strengthening professional competence in the field and creating space for discussion and reflection. The conference brings together professionals from across the country and serves as an important meeting place for knowledge-sharing, exchange of experience, and inspiration.

Through presentations from leading experts, researchers, and practitioners, participants gain insight into current developments, new perspectives, and relevant issues. The conference also provides opportunities for meaningful conversations and the exchange of experience among colleagues who face the same challenges in their daily work.

We want all participants to experience professional enrichment, feel inspired in their continued work, and bring back concrete tools and new reflections to their own organisations. 

Trust is essential for creating sound processes and legitimate decisions. We build trust through dialogue and communication that invite confidence, both within the tribunal and in our interactions with the people we serve. Trust strengthens the legitimacy and integrity of our case processing and our decisions.

Openness, to us, means being open and accessible externally in the areas where we are permitted to be transparent, such as our procedures and the way we work. We believe in being able to raise difficult issues internally without fear of consequences. This prevents unwanted incidents and avoids concealment of matters that warrant attention. Openness is also closely connected to trust, as it creates a transparent and understandable process for everyone involved.

Respect means showing courtesy and empathy to all parties and professionals involved in a case. We acknowledge differences and diversity, and we show care and appreciation for the work of others. Respect also includes loyalty to decisions and to our mandate, which strengthens cooperation and mutual understanding among everyone involved.