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When child welfare services receive a report of concern

report of concern investigation child welfare called child welfare investigating

Draft, translated: translated from the Norwegian original with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is the authoritative one. See the Norwegian original →

What happens after a report of concern? Deadlines, what an assessment involves, and how it can end.

Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 21 September 2026. Rules and deadlines change, so always check the official site before you act.

Learning that child welfare services (barnevernet) have received a report of concern about your child can be frightening. Here is what happens, as described by Bufdir (the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs) and the law.

First assessment

The municipal child welfare service has a duty to assess every report of concern. They must do so as soon as possible, and no later than within one week. After the assessment, they decide whether the case should be investigated or dropped. Whoever made the report must get a response within three weeks.

Bufdir states that the threshold for starting an investigation is relatively low. Child welfare services investigating does not mean they have concluded that something is wrong.

The investigation

The investigation must be carried out as quickly as possible, and as a general rule must conclude no later than within three months. In special cases the deadline can be six months. The child welfare service can investigate without the family's consent.

The investigation usually involves the child welfare service:

• contacting both parents and the child,
• often making a home visit,
• gathering information from, for example, kindergarten, school and the health service, preferably in cooperation with the family,
• using an expert in some cases.

In meetings with the child welfare service, you must be told what the report of concern contains, and given the chance to comment on it.

What can it end with?

• The case is closed, because they find no grounds for concern.
• Child welfare services propose support measures for the child and family. See Support measures from child welfare services.
• In the most serious cases, where the child cannot live at home, child welfare services bring the case before the Child Welfare and Health Board, which decides. See Care orders and the Child Welfare and Health Board.

Your rights along the way

Read Your rights when dealing with child welfare services. There you will also find what your child is entitled to.

Tip: Write down the date, who you spoke to, and what was said after each meeting. Ask for important agreements and decisions in writing.

Bufdir. When child welfare services receive a report of concern (Norwegian) →

Sources

• Bufdir. When child welfare services receive a report of concern (Norwegian)
• Child Welfare Act, Chapter 2: reports of concern and investigation (Lovdata, Norwegian)

Kontaktpunkt24 gives general information, not legal advice. If you need help with your own case, contact a lawyer, a legal aid service, or the relevant authority.

This page is translated from Norwegian with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is always the authoritative one.