2025-05-202024/25:SoU23 · p.14SoUHealth & social services
Children's rights
The child's views and the best interests of the child in the new Social Services Act
What's at stake: The decision affects how much weight children's own views and the best interests of the child must be given in social-services decisions, including on financial assistance, and whether standardised risk assessments should be required before contact with relatives in cases of suspected violence, which particularly concerns children in financially disadvantaged families and children in homes affected by violence.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The vote concerns whether the new Social Services Act should retain today's requirement to clarify a child's views by other means when the child does not express them, and extend the requirement that the child's best interests be decisive to all decisions concerning children, or whether the law should follow the government's proposal, under which the child's best interests are a mandatory requirement only for care and treatment measures.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee backs the government's proposal, under which the requirement to otherwise clarify a child's views is not carried over into the new law and the child's best interests become a mandatory requirement only for decisions on care and treatment measures, and opposes the motion calling for broader application and a requirement for standardised risk assessments.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 18 (MP)
The reservation argues that the requirement to clarify a child's views by other means should be retained, that the child's best interests should be decisive in all decisions concerning children, including financial assistance, since children in financially disadvantaged families are otherwise hit hard, and that social services should apply standardised risk-assessment methods before contact with relatives where violence is suspected, so that forced contact with a violent parent can be avoided.
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 18 by MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: KDKristdemokraterna, SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 272–16Ja 195–93
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 18/0/0/6 | differs | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | Yes 88/0/0/18 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 56/0/0/12 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 60/0/0/12 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2024/25:3339 by Nils Seye Larsen et al. (MP) clauses 2-4.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2024/25:3339 av Nils Seye Larsen m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 2-4.
Riksdag decision: The current social services act shall be replaced by a new social services act. The Riksdag said yes to the government's proposal on this. The Riksdag also said yes to amendments in other laws as a result of the new social services act. The purpose of the new act is, among other things, for social services to become long-term sustainable and work more preventively and knowledge-based. The new social services act comes into effect on 1 July 2025.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to introduce new professional qualifications for social workers and ensure respectful treatment in social services. (MP) — Reservation 18
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 to realize the children's convention and the principle of always considering the best interests of the child, and expresses strong confidence in young people's ability to make decisions about their lives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to realize the children's convention and the principle of always considering the best interests of the child, and expresses strong confidence in young people's ability to make decisions about their lives. The counter-proposal that the child's view should continue to be clarified and that the best interests of the child should be decisive in all decisions, including financial assistance, follows directly from that. The requirement for risk assessment when there is suspicion of violence is supported by the plan's child perspective.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill förverkliga barnkonventionen och principen att i varje läge se till barnets bästa, och uttrycker starkt förtroende för unga människors förmåga att fatta beslut om sina liv. Motförslaget att barnets inställning fortsatt ska klarläggas och att barnets bästa ska vara avgörande vid alla beslut, inklusive ekonomiskt bistånd, följer direkt av det. Kravet på riskbedömning vid misstanke om våld stöds av planens barnperspektiv.
- the best interests of the child in all situationsdecisive»barnkonventionen och principen att i varje läge se till barnets« (party programme ↗)“the children's convention and the principle of always considering the child's”
- the child's own view»Vi har ett starkt förtroende för unga människors förmåga att fatta« (party programme ↗)“We have strong confidence in young people's ability to make”
- stronger children's rights»Utvecklingen mot starkare rättigheter för barn är en av de progressiva« (party programme ↗)“The development towards stronger rights for children is one of the progressive”
- strengthened child perspective in violence cases»Barnperspektivet måste stärkas i vårdnadstvister och det ska inte vara möjligt för våldsutövare att behålla gemensam vårdnad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The child perspective must be strengthened in custody disputes and it should not be possible for perpetrators of violence to maintain joint custody.”
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 all children have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the convention on the rights of the child and that children shall have equivalent conditions.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that all children have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the convention on the rights of the child and that children shall have equivalent conditions. Making the child's best interest the decisive factor in all decisions concerning children, including economic assistance, and maintaining the requirement to clarify the child's view follows directly from this. The election manifesto also wants to strengthen social services and protection from violence. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla barn har rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med barnkonventionen och att barn ska ha likvärdiga villkor. Att göra barnets bästa avgörande i alla beslut som rör barn, även ekonomiskt bistånd, och att behålla kravet på att klarlägga barnets inställning följer direkt av detta. Valmanifestet vill dessutom stärka socialtjänsten och skyddet mot våld. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav.
- the convention on the rights of the child governs decisionsdecisive»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention.« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
- equivalent conditions for children»Alla barn och ungdomar ska ha rätt till likvärdiga villkor« (party programme ↗)“All children and young people shall have the right to equivalent conditions”
- strengthened social services»Att socialtjänsten stärks är centralt för att fånga upp unga i tid.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That social services are strengthened is central to catching young people in time.”
- protection from violence»Krafttag för att stoppa hedersrelaterat våld, sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Measures to stop honour-related violence, sexual offences and violence against women by men.”
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 requires that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child becomes Swedish law and that political decisions are preceded by child impact analysis, which speaks to ensuring the child's best interest shall be decisive in all decisions regarding children.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child becomes Swedish law and that political decisions are preceded by child impact analysis, which speaks to ensuring the child's best interest shall be decisive in all decisions regarding children. It also establishes that the child's legal security must be strengthened when there is suspicion of violence, which supports the requirement for standardized risk assessments. Additionally, children shall be seen as active co-creators, not passive recipients.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att barnkonventionen blir svensk lag och att politiska beslut föregås av barnkonsekvensanalys, vilket talar för att barnets bästa ska vara avgörande i alla beslut som rör barn. Det slår också fast att barnets rättstrygghet måste stärkas vid misstanke om våld, vilket bär kravet på standardiserade riskbedömningar. Barn ska dessutom ses som aktiva medskapare, inte passiva mottagare.
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child as lawdecisive»Barn ska vara med och utforma samhället. FN:s barnkonvention ska bli svensk lag och politiska beslut bör föregås av en barnkonsekvensanalys.« (party programme ↗)“Children shall be involved in shaping society. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shall become Swedish law and political decisions should be preceded by a child impact analysis.”
- strengthened legal security for children»Barnets rättstrygghet måste stärkas om det finns misstankar om våld eller sexuella övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“The child's legal security must be strengthened if there are suspicions of violence or sexual abuse.”
- children's participation»Barn är aktiva medskapare av samhället och ska inte ses som passiva mottagare av det samhälle som vuxna skapar åt dem.« (party programme ↗)“Children are active co-creators of society and shall not be seen as passive recipients of the society that adults create for them.”
- children's security weighs heaviest»I vårt Sverige väger barns rätt till trygghet tyngre än våldsamma föräldrars rätt till sina barn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In our Sweden, children's right to security outweighs violent parents' right to their children.”
The party programme states that society's actors shall take the individual's perspective and that children's rights and perspectives are of the greatest importance, and that every child has the right to unconditional protection against violence inside and outside the home.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that society's actors shall take the individual's perspective and that children's rights and perspectives are of the greatest importance, and that every child has the right to unconditional protection against violence inside and outside the home. The counter-proposal's requirements that the child's views shall always be clarified, that the child's best interests shall weigh in all decisions and that risk assessment is done before relatives are contacted follows directly from this. The plan also wants children at risk to be caught up faster.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att samhällets aktörer ska inta individens perspektiv och att barnens rättigheter och perspektiv är av största betydelse, samt att varje barn har rätt till villkorslöst skydd mot våld inom och utom hemmet. Motförslagets krav på att barnets inställning alltid ska klarläggas, att barnets bästa ska väga i alla beslut och att riskbedömning görs innan anhöriga kontaktas följer direkt av detta. Planen vill också att barn i riskzonen fångas upp snabbare.
- child's rights centre stagedecisive»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. The rights and perspectives of children are of the greatest importance.”
- every child's right to be seen»Särskilt viktigt är att värna varje barns rätt att bli respekterad och att bli sedd för den man är.« (party programme ↗)“Particularly important is to protect every child's right to be respected and to be seen for who they are.”
- unconditional protection against violence»villkorslöst skydd mot våld och förnedring inom och utom hemmet« (party programme ↗)“unconditional protection against violence and degradation inside and outside the home”
- catch children at risk»För att snabbare fånga upp barn i riskzonen vill vi se handlingsplaner mot hedersförtryck i alla skolor och bättre utbildning av personal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To more quickly catch children at risk we want to see action plans against honour-based oppression in all schools and better training of staff.”
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 establishes that children have the right to be respected as individuals, that placed children's freedoms and rights shall be clearly stated in law and that children shall have the right to their own representative when the family receives social services support.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that children have the right to be respected as individuals, that placed children's freedoms and rights shall be clearly stated in law and that children shall have the right to their own representative when the family receives social services support. Early and preventive measures are decisive. Keeping the requirement to clarify the child's view and make the child's best interests decisive in all decisions is in line with this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barn har rätt att respekteras som individer, att placerade barns fri- och rättigheter ska anges tydligt i lagen och att barn ska ha rätt till ett eget ombud när familjen får socialtjänstens stöd. Tidiga och förebyggande insatser är avgörande. Att behålla kravet på att klarlägga barnets inställning och göra barnets bästa avgörande i alla beslut ligger i linje med detta.
- children as rights holdersdecisive»Barn och ungdomar har rätt att respekteras som individer och i takt med åldern få ta ett ökande« (party programme ↗)“Children and young people have the right to be respected as individuals and as they grow to take an increasing”
- own representative for children»När en hel familj behöver socialtjänstens stöd ska barn ha rätt« (party programme ↗)“When a whole family needs social services support, children shall have the right”
- children's rights in law»Placerade barns fri- och rättigheter ska vara tydligt« (party programme ↗)“Placed children's freedoms and rights shall be clearly”
- early measures for vulnerable children»Tidiga och förebyggande insatser är avgörande.« (party programme ↗)“Early and preventive measures are decisive.”
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 explicitly states that the child's best interest shall be guiding in all decisions concerning children, not just in certain types of interventions.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly states that the child's best interest shall be guiding in all decisions concerning children, not just in certain types of interventions. It also requires that children's and young people's viewpoints be considered when decisions are made, which carries the requirement that the child's position be clarified. The counter-proposal's requirement thus lies straight in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att barnets bästa ska vara styrande vid alla beslut som rör barn, inte bara vid vissa insatstyper. Den kräver också att barns och ungas synpunkter beaktas när beslut fattas, vilket bär kravet på att barnets inställning klarläggs. Motförslagets krav ligger därmed rakt i linje med planen.
- the child's best interest in all decisionsdecisive»Barnets bästa ska vara styrande i all familjepolitik och vid alla beslut som rör barn.« (party programme ↗)“The child's best interest shall be guiding in all family policy and in all decisions concerning children.”
- the child's voice shall be heard»I det politiska systemet måste man lyssna på och beakta ungdomars synpunkter när beslut fattas.« (party programme ↗)“In the political system one must listen to and beacon young people's viewpoints when decisions are made.”
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child as guiding star»FN:s barnkonvention stadgar att barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the child's best interest shall come foremost.”
- safe upbringing environment»Barn har rätt till en trygg uppväxtmiljö.« (party programme ↗)“Children have a right to a safe upbringing environment.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan consistently drives stronger protection for children: more shall be taken into custody under the LVU and a national honour-based abuse screening shall be introduced, which is built on structured risk assessments before relatives are involved.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan consistently drives stronger protection for children: more shall be taken into custody under the LVU and a national honour-based abuse screening shall be introduced, which is built on structured risk assessments before relatives are involved. The party programme places on the legal system and the public a responsibility to secure rights for children unable to protect their own interests. The counter-proposal's demands that the child's position be clarified and that risk assessment be done on suspicion of abuse align with this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen driver genomgående ett starkare skydd för barn: fler ska omhändertas enligt LVU och en nationell hedersscreening ska införas, vilket bygger på strukturerade riskbedömningar innan anhöriga involveras. Partiprogrammet lägger på rättsväsendet och det offentliga ett ansvar att säkerställa rättigheterna för barn som inte kan tillvarata sina egna intressen. Motförslagets krav på att barnets inställning ska klarläggas och att riskbedömning ska göras vid misstanke om våld ligger i linje med detta.
- stronger protection for vulnerable childrendecisive»Säkerställa att fler omhändertas enligt LVU« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that more are taken into custody under the LVU”
- structured risk assessment for abuse»Verka för att en nationell hedersscreening införs för asylsökande familjer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for a national honour-based abuse screening to be introduced for asylum-seeking families”
- children's rights shall be secured»att säkerställa rättigheterna för barn och andra som inte kan« (party programme ↗)“to ensure the rights of children and others unable to”
- children's development prioritized»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 election manifesto states that the child's best interest shall always be considered and that investigations about children shall be quality-assured and legally secure.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto states that the child's best interest shall always be considered and that investigations about children shall be quality-assured and legally secure. The party also wishes to have a clear action plan for those subjected to violence in close relationships. The counter-proposal's demands that the child's position shall be clarified, that the child's best interest shall apply to all decisions and for standardized risk assessments therefore follow the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas och att utredningar om barn ska vara kvalitetssäkrade och rättssäkra. Partiet vill också ha en tydlig handlingsplan för dem som utsätts för våld i nära relation. Motförslagets krav på att barnets inställning ska klarläggas, att barnets bästa ska gälla alla beslut och på standardiserade riskbedömningar följer därmed planens åtaganden.
- child's best interest in all decisionsdecisive»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the child's best interest shall always be considered.”
- legally secure child investigations»Utredningar rörande barn ska vara kvalitetssäkrade och rättssäkra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Investigations regarding children shall be quality-assured and legally secure.”
- quality in investigations»Öka kvalité och rättssäkerhet i utredningar om barn« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase quality and legal security in investigations of children.”
- risk assessment in violence cases»Upprätta en handlingsplan för den som utsätts för våld i nära relation« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish an action plan for those subjected to violence in close relationships.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:SoU23)
- Committee report full text (HC01SoU23)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:3111 — Utgiftsområde 4 Rättsväsendet av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3326 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:89 En förebyggande socialtjänstlag - för ökade rättigheter, skyldigheter och möjligheter av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3337 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:89 En förebyggande socialtjänstlag - för ökade rättigheter, skyldigheter och möjligheter av Maj Karlsson m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:3339 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:89 En förebyggande socialtjänstlag - för ökade rättigheter, skyldigheter och möjligheter av Nils Seye Larsen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:3341 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:89 En förebyggande socialtjänstlag - för ökade rättigheter, skyldigheter och möjligheter av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C)
- Proposition 2024/25:89 — En förebyggande socialtjänstlag - för ökade rättigheter, skyldigheter och möjligheter
Source: The Swedish Parliament