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Complaining about child welfare services

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 →

Who do you complain to, and within what deadline? Decisions, casework and Board rulings are complained about in different ways.

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

Do you disagree with something child welfare services have done? How you complain depends on what the complaint concerns.

1. Complaining about a decision from the child welfare service

For example, a refusal of help, or a decision on a support measure you disagree with.

The complaint deadline is three weeks from when you received the decision. For digital decisions, the deadline runs from when you were notified, not from when you opened the letter.
The complaint is sent first to the child welfare service that made the decision. The decision letter tells you where.
The child welfare service reassesses the case. If they do not rule in your favour, the complaint is sent on to the County Governor (Statsforvalteren), which is the appeals body.

2. Complaining about casework or how you have been treated

The County Governor supervises child welfare services in the municipalities and handles complaints about casework. Both adults and children can report to the County Governor how child welfare services have worked. The County Governor has a digital form on its website.

3. Disagreeing with a Board ruling

Rulings from the Child Welfare and Health Board, for example on a care order, are not complained about to the County Governor. They are brought before the district court (tingretten), within a one-month deadline. Read Care orders and the Child Welfare and Health Board.

4. When everything else has been tried

You can also contact the Parliamentary Ombud (Sivilombudet), which handles complaints about public administration. See sivilombudet.no for what they can consider and what deadlines apply.

Children and young people can complain too

Children and young people have their own right to complain about child welfare services. Ung.no explains how (in Norwegian).

Help

A lawyer can help you with a complaint. See Free legal aid.
Write the complaint specifically: what the decision says, what you believe is wrong, and what you want.

Tip: Complaint deadlines are short. Note the date you received the decision right away, and send the complaint in a way you can document.

Statsforvalteren. Complaining to the County Governor (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.