2024-04-032023/24:SoU18 · p.13SoUHealth & social services
Ombudsman and support person for children
Legal representatives and support persons for children
What's at stake: The decision concerns children subject to compulsory care or placement decisions, and their ability to make themselves heard, appeal decisions and get support from an independent representative - matters that can determine whether a child's own perspective is actually reflected in decisions about them.
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 Riksdag should now direct the government to strengthen children's right to their own representative, public counsel and independent child ombudsmen or support persons, or whether this should wait for the ongoing processing of a recently submitted report.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions. The reason is that a recently submitted report already contains proposals for a strengthened right for children to be heard and to appeal placement decisions, for a pilot scheme with government grants to children's rights bureaus with independent child ombudsmen, and for improved access to public counsel in decisions on special powers at SiS homes. The report is being processed within the Government Offices, and the committee considers that this work should not be pre-empted.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 22 (MP)
The reservation (MP) calls on the government to follow through on the proposals for a right to public counsel for children of any age when appealing SiS decisions on special powers, and for a pilot scheme with independent child ombudsmen or children's rights bureaus. The reservation also calls for expanding the Children's Ombudsman's mandate to pursue individual cases of principal importance, and for making it mandatory to assign a child their own representative in investigations on the transfer of custody.
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 22 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: CCenterpartiet, LLiberalerna
Ja 194–14Ja 159–49
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 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/92/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/14/0/4 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: high | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdagen rejects the motions 2023/24:927 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) demands 2, 4, 6 and 7, 2023/24:2075 by Carina Ståhl Herrstedt et al. (SD) demand 11, 2023/24:2361 by Sanne Lennström and Ardalan Shekarabi (both S) and 2023/24:2617 by Fredrik Lundh Sammeli et al. (S) demand 127.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:927 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 2, 4, 6 och 7, 2023/24:2075 av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD) yrkande 11, 2023/24:2361 av Sanne Lennström och Ardalan Shekarabi (båda S) och 2023/24:2617 av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S) yrkande 127.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdagen said no to approximately 100 proposals in motions regarding children and young people in social services from the general motion period 2023. The motions deal, for example, with measures and placement forms for children and young people. The Riksdagen refers primarily to the fact that work is already ongoing in the areas that the motions address.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants children under twelve to be able to receive open social services without parental consent. (MP) — Reservation 22
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 establishes that the child's best interests should come first and that children cannot always speak for themselves, which is the very reason why children's rights are established separately.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the child's best interests should come first and that children cannot always speak for themselves, which is the very reason why children's rights are established separately. The counter-proposal's demands for public counsel regardless of age, independent children's ombudsman and own counsel upon custody transfer respond directly to this. The plan also demands that the child perspective is strengthened in custody matters.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barnens bästa ska komma i första rummet och att barn inte alltid kan föra sin egen talan, vilket är själva skälet till att barnrättigheter fastställs särskilt. Motförslagets krav på offentligt biträde oavsett ålder, oberoende barnombud och eget ombud vid vårdnadsöverflyttning svarar direkt mot detta. Planen kräver också att barnperspektivet stärks i vårdnadsfrågor.
- the child's best interests firstdecisive»Vänsterpartiets politik ska utformas så att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party's policy shall be designed so that the child's best interests come first.”
- strengthened child perspective in custody»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 abusers to retain joint custody.”
- extensive social services act»Socialtjänstlagen ska tolkas extensivt.« (party programme ↗)“The Social Services Act should be interpreted extensively.”
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 binds all decisions concerning children to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and requires that exercise of authority be characterised by the equality of all before the law and by objectivity and impartiality.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan binds all decisions concerning children to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and requires that exercise of authority be characterised by the equality of all before the law and by objectivity and impartiality. Right to public counsel, an independent children's ombudsman and a separate ombudsman when custody is transferred are precisely such legal safeguards for the child. The requirement for equivalent conditions for all children speaks against protection varying by age or municipality.
Original (Swedish)
Planen binder alla beslut som rör barn vid barnkonventionen och kräver att myndighetsutövning präglas av allas likhet inför lagen samt saklighet och opartiskhet. Rätt till offentligt biträde, oberoende barnombud och eget ombud vid vårdnadsöverflyttning är just sådana rättssäkerhetsgarantier för barnet. Kravet på likvärdiga villkor för alla barn talar mot att skyddet varierar med ålder eller kommun.
- 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.”
- lawful exercise of authority»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet« (party programme ↗)“respect the equality of all before the law and observe objectivity and impartiality”
- 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”
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 the child's legal security must be strengthened, that the Child Convention shall become Swedish law and that children are active co-creators who should not be seen as passive recipients.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the child's legal security must be strengthened, that the Child Convention shall become Swedish law and that children are active co-creators who should not be seen as passive recipients. Public counsel regardless of age, independent children's ombudsman and an expanded role for the Children's Ombudsman are concrete expressions of precisely that legal security. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att barnets rättstrygghet måste stärkas, att barnkonventionen ska bli svensk lag och att barn är aktiva medskapare som inte ska ses som passiva mottagare. Offentligt biträde oavsett ålder, oberoende barnombud och en utvidgad roll för Barnombudsmannen är konkreta uttryck för just den rättstryggheten. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav.
- strengthened legal security for childrendecisive»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.”
- child convention as law»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 Child Convention shall become Swedish law and political decisions should be preceded by a child impact assessment.”
- children as active co-creators»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.”
The election manifesto commits that everyone should be able to have their case examined and that access to legal representatives should be improved, and wants to specifically create compensation for legal representatives in administrative matters.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits that everyone should be able to have their case examined and that access to legal representatives should be improved, and wants to specifically create compensation for legal representatives in administrative matters. The counter-proposal's demand for public legal aid for children regardless of age and for an independent children's representative is precisely this applied to the most vulnerable. The party programme furthermore puts the child's rights and perspective first.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att alla ska kunna få sin sak prövad och att tillgången till ombud ska förbättras, och vill särskilt skapa ersättning för ombud i förvaltningsärenden. Motförslagets krav på offentligt biträde för barn oavsett ålder och på oberoende barnombud är just detta tillämpat på de mest utsatta. Partiprogrammet sätter dessutom barnets rättigheter och perspektiv främst.
- improved access to legal representativesdecisive»Alla som bor i Sverige ska kunna få sin sak prövad. Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Everyone living in Sweden should be able to have their case examined. Processing times for handling and exercise of public authority in courts and agencies must be shortened and access to legal representatives improved.”
- legal representatives in administrative matters»Vi vill skapa en möjlighet för enskilda att kunna få ersättning för ombud i förvaltningsärenden då denne haft skäl att få sin sak prövad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to create a possibility for individuals to receive compensation for legal representatives in administrative matters when they have had reason to have their case examined.”
- the child's rights at the centre»Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Of greatest importance are then the children's rights and perspective.”
- every child's right to be heard»Särskilt viktigt är att värna varje barns rätt att bli respekterad och att bli sedd för den man är.« (party programme ↗)“It is particularly important to protect every child's right to be respected and to be seen for who they are.”
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 establishes that children should have the right to their own advocate when an entire family needs support from social services, and that placed children should have the right to receive information.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that children should have the right to their own advocate when an entire family needs support from social services, and that placed children should have the right to receive information. The counter-proposal's requirements for public legal aid regardless of age, independent children's advocate, and mandatory own advocate in case of transfer of custody are precisely this commitment put into practice. The plan also wants to increase the individual's opportunities to assert their rights against authorities.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barn ska ha rätt till ett eget ombud när en hel familj behöver socialtjänstens stöd, och att placerade barn ska ha rätt att få information. Motförslagets krav på offentligt biträde oavsett ålder, oberoende barnombud och obligatoriskt eget ombud vid vårdnadsöverflyttning är just detta åtagande omsatt i praktiken. Planen vill dessutom att den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter mot myndigheter ökar.
- children's right to own advocatedecisive»När en hel familj behöver socialtjänstens stöd ska barn ha rätt« (party programme ↗)“When an entire family needs support from social services, children should have the right”
- placed children's rights»placerade barn ska ha rätt att få information« (party programme ↗)“placed children shall have the right to receive information”
- strengthened position against authorities»Den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter gentemot myndigheterna måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“The individual's opportunities to assert their rights against the authorities must increase.”
- children as rights holders»Barn och ungdomar har rätt att respekteras som individer« (party programme ↗)“Children and young people have the right to be respected as individuals”
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 party programme makes the child's best interest the primary concern and requires that social policy efforts give the individual, including children, influence and participation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes the child's best interest the primary concern and requires that social policy efforts give the individual, including children, influence and participation. Right to public counsel regardless of age, independent child ombudsman and own counsel during custody transfer are concrete expressions of precisely this. Efforts for children shall also be based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör barnets bästa till främsta hänsyn och kräver att socialpolitiska insatser ger den enskilde, även barn, inflytande och delaktighet. Rätt till offentligt biträde oavsett ålder, oberoende barnombud och eget ombud vid vårdnadsöverflyttning är konkreta uttryck för just detta. Insatser för barn ska dessutom utgå från barnkonventionen.
- child's best interest firstdecisive»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interest shall come first.”
- children's participation in efforts»ge förutsättningar för inflytande och delaktighet från den enskilde, för såväl vuxna som barn.« (party programme ↗)“provide conditions for influence and participation from the individual, for both adults and children.”
- Convention on the Rights of the Child binding»ska ske med utgångspunkt i FN:s barnkonvention« (party programme ↗)“shall be conducted with the starting point in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”
- safe growing environment»Barn har rätt till en trygg uppväxtmiljö.« (party programme ↗)“Children have the right to a safe growing environment.”
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 documents give the judicial system an explicit task to secure the rights of children and others who cannot safeguard their own interests.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The documents give the judicial system an explicit task to secure the rights of children and others who cannot safeguard their own interests. The plan is also prepared to expand legal aid for vulnerable crime victims and to strengthen protection for the vulnerable. The counter-proposal's demands for public counsel for children regardless of age and an independent ombudsman for children rest on the same principle, although the plan does not mention the Children's Ombudsman's mandate.
Original (Swedish)
Dokumenten ger rättsväsendet en uttrycklig uppgift att säkerställa rättigheterna för barn och andra som inte kan tillvarata sina egna intressen. Planen är också beredd att bygga ut juridiskt biträde för svaga brottsoffer och att stärka skyddet för utsatta. Motförslagets krav på offentligt biträde för barn oavsett ålder och på oberoende barnombud vilar på samma princip, även om planen inte nämner Barnombudsmannens mandat.
- the justice system protects children's rightsdecisive»att säkerställa rättigheterna för barn och andra som inte kan« (party programme ↗)“to ensure the rights of children and others who cannot”
- expanded legal aid for vulnerable people»Utöka rätten till målsägandebiträde för äldre brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand the right to legal counsel for elderly crime victims”
- strengthened protection for vulnerable people»Stärka skyddet för vittnen och brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen protection for witnesses and crime victims”
- better conditions for placed children»Se till att placerade ungdomar ges bättre utbildning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ensure that placed young people receive better education”
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 children get caught in the middle when adults fail and that there is today insufficient support for the child, and that investigations concerning children shall be quality-assured and legally secure.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto states that children get caught in the middle when adults fail and that there is today insufficient support for the child, and that investigations concerning children shall be quality-assured and legally secure. The counter-proposal's demand for public counsel regardless of age, independent child ombudsperson, and own counsel in custody transfers is precisely such strengthened support and reinforced legal security. The plan also states that the best interests of the child shall always be considered.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att barn hamnar i kläm när vuxna brister och att det i dag saknas ett tillräckligt stöd till barnet, samt att utredningar om barn ska vara kvalitetssäkrade och rättssäkra. Motförslagets krav på offentligt biträde oavsett ålder, oberoende barnombud och eget ombud vid vårdnadsöverflyttning är just ett sådant stärkt stöd och en stärkt rättssäkerhet. Planen slår också fast att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas.
- insufficient support for the childdecisive»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 today there is insufficient support for the child.”
- legally secure child investigations»Utredningar rörande barn ska vara kvalitetssäkrade och rättssäkra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Investigations concerning children shall be quality-assured and legally secure.”
- quality and legal security»Öka kvalité och rättssäkerhet i utredningar om barn« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase quality and legal security in investigations concerning children”
- best interests of the child»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the best interests of the child shall always be considered”
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 (2023/24:SoU18)
- Committee report full text (HB01SoU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1052 — Tydliggörande av rutiner kring samverkan mellan skola, socialtjänst och polis av Gunilla Carlsson och Dzenan Cisija (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1396 — Ingen plats för hederskultur i ett demokratiskt och jämställt samhälle av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1422 — Placeringar på Sis av Johanna Rantsi och Sten Bergheden (båda M)
- Motion 2023/24:1441 — Nationellt register över behandlings- och familjehem av Johanna Rantsi (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1452 — Plan för obligatoriska BVC-besök av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1535 — Stärkt vård och behandling för unga som dömts till sluten ungdomsvård av Eva Lindh m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2062 — En stark och kvalitativ Sis-vård i hela landet av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2075 — Socialtjänsten av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2161 — Översyn av tillgång till digitala kontaktytor under behandlingstid på Sis/HVB av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2217 — Översyn av socialtjänstlagen i syfte att underlätta Sis-placering för att motverka kriminalitet av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2361 — Fristående barnombud i hela landet av Sanne Lennström och Ardalan Shekarabi (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2452 — Stärkta rättigheter för barn som flyr till Sverige av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2463 — Konsumentpolitik av Alireza Akhondi m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2481 — Familjerätt, hbtqi-frågor och funktionsrätt av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2617 — Utgiftsområde 9 Hälsovård, sjukvård och social omsorg av Fredrik Lundh Sammeli m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2636 — Familjerätt av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2640 — Utgiftsområde 4 Rättsväsendet av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2664 — Jämställdhetspolitisk motion av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2669 — Rättspolitik av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2677 — En socialförsäkring med människan i centrum av Annika Hirvonen m.fl. (MP)
Source: The Swedish Parliament