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Your rights when dealing with child welfare services (barnevernet)

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 →

Both parents and children have rights in a child welfare case: the right to speak, to bring a support person, and to know what the case concerns.

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

The child welfare service (barnevernet) has significant power over a family, which is why both parents and children have rights meant to protect them. Here are some of the most important ones.

You as a parent

You are a party to the case if you have parental responsibility and the child lives with you. As a party, you have the right to be told what the case concerns, to give your views, and to see the documents in the case.
You can bring a support person to conversations with the child welfare service. The service must respect that you want to bring someone you trust, and can ask that person to keep the discussion confidential.
You have the right to a written decision. If the child welfare service refuses an application for help, they must give you a written decision. You can complain. See "Complain about child welfare services" (Norwegian).
Support measures (hjelpetiltak) are, as a general rule, voluntary.

Your child

A child capable of forming their own views has the right to express their opinion in all matters concerning them. The child's view must be given weight, in line with their age and maturity.
The child has the right to speak with the child welfare service without the parents' consent, and without the parents being told about the conversation in advance.
The child can bring a person they particularly trust to meetings with the child welfare service.
The child welfare service's decision must state what the child thinks, and how much weight was given to it.
Children and young people can complain to the child welfare service. Ung.no has information written for children and young people (in Norwegian).

You cannot go wrong by asking

It is always fine to ask: "What is the basis for this?", "What happens next?" and "Can I get this in writing?"

Tip: Write down what was said and agreed, with the date. If you need help understanding your rights, a lawyer or a legal aid service can help. See Free legal aid.

Bufdir. The Child Welfare Circular (Norwegian) →

Sources

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.