2025-02-192024/25:SoU18 · p.3SoUHealth & social services
Support for relatives
Support for relatives of people with substance misuse or dependency
What's at stake: When a young person is treated for substance misuse or dependency, the whole family is affected, and the question is whether relatives, especially parents, should get a statutory right to support, or whether the work already under way is enough.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should legislate a clear right to information, support and help for relatives of people with substance misuse or dependency, or whether the ongoing inquiry and initiatives are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee refers to an ongoing inquiry on strengthened support for relatives as well as government initiatives on relative contact points and a support helpline for relatives, and considers the motions should be rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 8 (V)
The reservation wants the government to legislate relatives' right to information, support and help when a young person is treated for substance misuse or dependency, so that it becomes clear what rights relatives have and where they can turn for help.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 8 by V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/19/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/90/16 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/13/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 57/0/0/11 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2024/25:1905 by Karin Rågsjö et al. (V) motion 6, 2024/25:2474 by Louise Thunström and Paula Örn (both S) and 2024/25:3022 by Fredrik Lundh Sammeli et al. (S) motion 67.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1905 av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V) yrkande 6, 2024/25:2474 av Louise Thunström och Paula Örn (båda S) och 2024/25:3022 av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S) yrkande 67.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 80 proposals about social services work in motions from the general parliamentary motion session 2024. Parliament refers, among other things, to ongoing work within the areas that the proposals concern. The proposals are about, among other things, development of social services work, support for relatives, maintenance support and homelessness.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to secure relatives' rights to information, support, and help when a family member has addiction. (V) — Reservation 8
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan wants there to be good support throughout life so that both service users and relatives can live free lives, and the election manifesto criticizes that relatives — particularly women — are forced to take on an ever-larger responsibility when care is insufficient.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants there to be good support throughout life so that both service users and relatives can live free lives, and the election manifesto criticizes that relatives — particularly women — are forced to take on an ever-larger responsibility when care is insufficient. A legal right for relatives to information and support when a young person is cared for for substance abuse addresses that commitment. The plan also states that those trapped in substance abuse should have access to care.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att det genom hela livet ska finnas bra stöd att få så att både brukare och anhöriga kan leva fria liv, och valplattformen kritiserar att anhöriga - särskilt kvinnor - tvingas ta ett allt större ansvar när vården inte räcker till. En lagstadgad rätt för anhöriga till information och stöd när en ung person vårdas för missbruk svarar mot det åtagandet. Planen slår också fast att den som fastnat i missbruk ska ha tillgång till vård.
- support for relatives toodecisive»brukare och anhöriga kan leva så fria liv som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“service users and relatives can live as free lives as possible.”
- relieve relatives' burden»När vården inte räcker till tvingas anhöriga, särskilt kvinnor, att ta ett allt större ansvar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“When care is insufficient relatives, particularly women, are forced to take on an ever-larger responsibility.”
- substance abuse care as a right»Människor som fastnat i missbruk ska ha tillgång till den vård« (party programme ↗)“People who have fallen into substance abuse should have access to the care”
- security throughout life»Alla ska känna sig trygga i att det finns stöd att få när vi behöver det.« (party programme ↗)“Everyone should feel secure that there is support to be had when we need it.”
The plan wants to see more comprehensive social interventions and makes relatives part of the solution: parents shall be obligated to participate when children need social services interventions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to see more comprehensive social interventions and makes relatives part of the solution: parents shall be obligated to participate when children need social services interventions. Legislating about relatives' right to information and support when a young person is treated for substance abuse is in line with that and with the commitment to upbringing free from drugs. The plan does not explicitly mention support for relatives, but the direction supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill se mer långtgående sociala insatser och gör anhöriga till en del av lösningen: föräldrar ska vara skyldiga att medverka när barn behöver socialtjänstens åtgärder. Att lagstifta om anhörigas rätt till information och stöd när en ung person vårdas för missbruk ligger i linje med det och med åtagandet om en uppväxt fri från droger. Planen nämner inte anhörigstöd uttryckligen, men riktningen stöder kravet.
- relatives' participation in interventionsdecisive»föräldrar ska vara skyldiga att medverka när deras barn behöver socialtjänstens åtgärder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“parents shall be obligated to participate when their children need social services interventions.”
- upbringing free from drugs»och till en trygg uppväxt fri från droger och våld.« (party programme ↗)“and to secure upbringing free from drugs and violence.”
- strengthened social services»Att socialtjänsten stärks är centralt för att fånga upp unga i tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthening the social services is central to reaching young people early.”
- Convention on the Rights of the Child as basis»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention.« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to secure upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan particularly wants to invest in support for children in families where violence, substance abuse or mental health problems occur, and establishes that relatives shall feel seen and that their wishes shall be met as far as possible.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan particularly wants to invest in support for children in families where violence, substance abuse or mental health problems occur, and establishes that relatives shall feel seen and that their wishes shall be met as far as possible. Everyone who needs it shall be offered effective treatment for substance abuse at an early stage. A statutory right for relatives to information, support and help when a young person is receiving care for substance abuse is in line with this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill särskilt satsa på stöd till barn i familjer där det förekommer våld, missbruk eller psykisk ohälsa, och slår fast att anhöriga ska känna sig sedda och att deras önskemål ska tillmötesgås så långt möjligt. Alla som behöver ska i ett tidigt skede erbjudas verksam behandling mot missbruk. En lagstadgad rätt för anhöriga till information, stöd och hjälp när en ung person vårdas för missbruk ligger i linje med detta.
- support for children in substance-abusing familiesdecisive»Vi vill särskilt satsa på stöd till barn i familjer där« (party programme ↗)“We particularly want to invest in support for children in families where”
- relatives shall be seen»känna sig sedda och deras önskemål tillmötesgås så« (party programme ↗)“feel seen and their wishes are met as”
- early substance abuse treatment»av det ska i ett tidigt skede erbjudas verksam« (party programme ↗)“of that shall be offered effective”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme wants to see a rights-based legislation with enforceable rights and establishes that persons with addiction problems shall get the support needed, with children's perspective as the most important.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants to see a rights-based legislation with enforceable rights and establishes that persons with addiction problems shall get the support needed, with children's perspective as the most important. Enshrining relatives' right to information and support when a young person is in care for addiction follows that line. The plan does not mention family support, so certainty is low.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill se en rättighetslagstiftning med utkrävbara rättigheter och slår fast att personer med missbruksproblem ska få det stöd som behövs, med barnens perspektiv som det mest betydelsefulla. Att lagfästa anhörigas rätt till information och stöd när en ung vårdas för missbruk följer den linjen. Planen nämner dock inte anhörigstöd, varför säkerheten är låg.
- enforceable rightsdecisive»Vi vill se en rättighetslagstiftning, ett tydligt samhällskontrakt med utkrävbara rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see rights-based legislation, a clear social contract with enforceable rights.”
- support in addiction»psykisk ohälsa eller missbruksproblem måste ha inflytande över sitt liv och få det stöd som behövs.« (party programme ↗)“mental ill-health or addiction problems must have influence over their life and get the support needed.”
- children's perspective first»Samhällets aktörer ska inta individens perspektiv. Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Society's actors shall take the individual's perspective. Of greatest importance is then children's rights and perspective.”
- support for young people»Stödet för personer med psykisk ohälsa måste förbättras, inte minst för unga.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Support for people with mental ill-health must be improved, not least for young people.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme establishes that support to relatives needs improvement and that relative support shall be part of the care guarantee, and that substance abuse care requires close cooperation between social services, health and medical care and the justice system.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that support to relatives needs improvement and that relative support shall be part of the care guarantee, and that substance abuse care requires close cooperation between social services, health and medical care and the justice system. The counter-proposal's requirement that relatives' right to information, support and help in a young person's substance abuse care is regulated lies in line with these commitments. The plan does not mention legislation on this point, so the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att stödet till anhöriga behöver förbättras och att anhörigstödet ska ingå i omsorgsgarantin, samt att missbruksvården kräver nära samverkan mellan socialtjänst, hälso- och sjukvård och rättsväsende. Motförslagets krav på att anhörigas rätt till information, stöd och hjälp vid ung persons missbruksvård regleras ligger i linje med dessa åtaganden. Planen nämner inte just lagstiftning på denna punkt, så slutsatsen är härledd.
- improved relative supportdecisive»Stödet till anhöriga som tar hand om sina nära behöver förbättras. Anhörigstödet ska ingå i« (party programme ↗)“Support to relatives who care for their close needs improvement. Relative support shall be part of”
- cooperation in substance abuse care»En nära samverkan mellan socialtjänst, hälso- och sjukvård och rättsväsende är viktig för att« (party programme ↗)“Close cooperation between social services, health and medical care and the justice system is important for”
- functioning substance abuse care»Beroende ska bekämpas med« (party programme ↗)“Dependency shall be fought with”
- support to relative and volunteer organisations»stödinsatserna till personer med beroendeproblem och ska få stöd av det allmänna för detta.« (party programme ↗)“support efforts to people with substance abuse problems and shall receive support from the public for this.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that relatives' care efforts are an invaluable asset that shall be utilized and made visible and that relatives should have access to treatment, advice and support.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that relatives' care efforts are an invaluable asset that shall be utilized and made visible and that relatives should have access to treatment, advice and support. The family is the basic community and shall be supported when it fails. Making relatives' right to information, support and assistance legally binding when a young person is cared for for substance abuse therefore lies in the plan's direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att anhörigas insatser är en ovärderlig tillgång som ska tas tillvara och synliggöras och att anhöriga ska ha tillgång till bemötande, råd och stöd. Familjen är den grundläggande gemenskapen och ska stödjas när den sviktar. Att lagfästa anhörigas rätt till information, stöd och hjälp när en ung person vårdas för missbruk ligger därför i planens riktning.
- relatives as invaluable resourcedecisive»Anhörigas vårdinsatser är en ovärderlig tillgång« (party programme ↗)“Relatives' care efforts are an invaluable asset”
- advice and support for relatives»bemötande och tillgång till råd och stöd.« (party programme ↗)“treatment and access to advice and support.”
- support when the family fails»kommunens uppgift att socialt och ekonomiskt stödja familjen att kunna utföra sina uppgifter och skyldigheter.« (party programme ↗)“the municipality's task to socially and economically support the family to be able to perform its tasks and responsibilities.”
- support in addiction care»Frivilligorganisationers arbete med missbrukarvård är omistligt och ska stödjas.« (party programme ↗)“Voluntary organizations' work with addiction care is indispensable and shall be supported.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan emphasizes and wants to strengthen parental responsibility and includes a large reform package to strengthen substance abuse care.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan emphasizes and wants to strengthen parental responsibility and includes a large reform package to strengthen substance abuse care. That relatives are given a legally established right to information and support when a young person is treated for substance abuse strengthens precisely that responsibility-taking that the plan is based on. The plan also wants to strengthen support lines for children and relatives.
Original (Swedish)
Planen betonar och vill förstärka föräldraansvaret och rymmer ett stort reformpaket för att stärka missbruksvården. Att anhöriga ges en lagfäst rätt till information och stöd när en ung person vårdas för missbruk stärker just det ansvarstagande som planen bygger på. Planen vill också stärka stödlinjer för barn och anhöriga.
- förstärkt föräldraansvardecisive»Betona och förstärka föräldraansvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Emphasize and strengthen parental responsibility”
- stärkt missbruksvård»över 50 reformer för att stärka socialtjänst, skola och missbruksvård« (2022 manifesto ↗)“over 50 reforms to strengthen social services, schools and substance abuse care”
- stärkta stödlinjer»Stärka Bris nationella stödlinje och andra stödlinjer så att de kan hålla öppet dygnet runt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen Bris national support line and other support lines so that they can stay open around the clock”
- barns utveckling först»Samhällets viktigaste investering för framtiden är barns utveckling.« (party programme ↗)“Society's most important investment for the future is children's development.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan puts the child's best interest first and states that children get caught in the middle when adults fail and that support today is insufficient.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan puts the child's best interest first and states that children get caught in the middle when adults fail and that support today is insufficient. It also wants to increase social services' early interventions and establishes that the family's strong role should not be diminished. The counter-proposal's demand for a statutory right for relatives to information and support when a young person is cared for for addiction follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen sätter barnets bästa främst och konstaterar att barn hamnar i kläm när vuxna brister och att stödet i dag är otillräckligt. Den vill också öka socialtjänstens tidiga insatser och slår fast att familjens starka roll inte ska förringas. Motförslagets krav på lagstadgad rätt för anhöriga till information och stöd när en ung vårdas för missbruk följer av dessa åtaganden.
- insufficient support around childrendecisive»Barn hamnar inte sällan i kläm när vuxna brister och det saknas idag ett tillräckligt stöd till barnet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Children often get caught in the middle when adults fail and there is today insufficient support for the child.”
- the child's best interest»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the child's best interest shall always be taken into account”
- early interventions for young people»Att socialtjänstens förebyggande insatser ska öka för att tidigt fånga upp ungdomar på glid« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That social services' preventive interventions shall increase to early catch young people who are sliding”
- family's and relatives' role»Synen på familjens starka roll och gemenskap i sammanhanget ska inte förringas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The view of the family's strong role and community in this context should not be diminished.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:SoU18)
- Committee report full text (HC01SoU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1205 — Utvärdering av den svenska missbrukspolitiken av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1299 — Vårdnadstvister och konsekvenser av Runar Filper (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1333 — Goda levnadsförhållanden för människor med funktionsnedsättning av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1366 — Socialtjänsten av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1400 — En trygg familjepolitik med barnets bästa i fokus av Daniel Persson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1596 — Införande av aktivitetsplikt i försörjningsstödet av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1905 — En starkare folkhälsa av Karin Rågsjö m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1992 — Bostadspolitik, planering och byggande av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:2056 — För ett tryggare Malmö och Sverige av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2062 — Hederskultur ska aldrig accepteras av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2172 — Stärkt vård och behandling för unga av Eva Lindh m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:2287 — Förbud för kommuner att överskrida riksnormen för ekonomiskt bistånd med mer än 10 procent av Mattias Eriksson Falk och Roger Hedlund (båda SD)
- Motion 2024/25:2301 — Att verka för att ingen ska vara hemlös av Johan Büser och Amalia Rud Stenlöf (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:2393 — Skydd av anställda inom vård, socialtjänst och skola av Caroline Högström (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2420 — Utvidgad utbildningsplikt för arbetslösa med försörjningsstöd av Oliver Rosengren (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2474 — Anhöriga till demenssjuka av Louise Thunström och Paula Örn (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:2575 — Sekretess mellan socialtjänst och psykiatri av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2623 — Barns rätt att växa upp i sina egna trygga hem av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2670 — Skydd av enskilda socialsekreterare av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2846 — Barns rätt till personliga gåvor av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament