2024-04-242023/24:CU9 · p.7CUCivil law & housing
Legal aid for children
Legal counsel for children in custody, residence, and contact cases
What's at stake: Independent legal counsel would give children a stronger voice of their own in court proceedings on custody, residence, and contact, beyond the participation already ensured through social services and the courts, with particular relevance for children in contentious or complex custody disputes.
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 children in custody, residence, and contact cases should now be guaranteed their own legal counsel, or whether the matter should continue to be handled within ongoing inquiry work before such a step is taken.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that children's participation in custody cases has already been strengthened through an earlier reform, and that several ongoing inquiries - including on security for children in vulnerable situations and on children's ability to assert their rights - have considered the question of independent legal counsel for children without so far producing concrete legislative proposals, while a forthcoming proposal on counsel in custody-transfer cases has been announced. The committee considers the matter should be handled within this ongoing work and rejects the motions calling for general legal counsel for children.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (S, V, C, MP)
The reservation (S, V, C, MP) points out that an international child rights committee and several government inquiries have already identified the need for independent legal counsel or representation for children in custody, residence, and contact cases, and argues that it is now time to move ahead with such a reform rather than await further inquiry.
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 5 by S, V, C, MP.
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 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/22/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 15/0/0/1 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:927 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) demand 8, 2023/24:1836 by Ida Ekeroth Clausson et al. (S), 2023/24:2449 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) demand 3, 2023/24:2481 by Martina Johansson et al. (C) demand 24, 2023/24:2636 by Jennie Nilsson et al. (S) demand 7, 2023/24:2664 by Janine Alm Ericson et al. (MP) demand 117 and 2023/24:2669 by Märta Stenevi et al. (MP) demand 86.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:927 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 8, 2023/24:1836 av Ida Ekeroth Clausson m.fl. (S), 2023/24:2449 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 3, 2023/24:2481 av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C) yrkande 24, 2023/24:2636 av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 7, 2023/24:2664 av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP) yrkande 117 och 2023/24:2669 av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP) yrkande 86.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 130 proposals in motions about family law from the general motion period 2023. Among other things, the Riksdag refers to the fact that work is already underway in the issues that the proposals address. The proposals concern, among other things, a gender-neutral parent code, the number of guardians for a child, legal aid for children, and certain issues about custody, residence, and contact in the event of domestic violence.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to return to Parliament with a proposition on gender-neutral parentage legislation. (S, V, C, MP) — Reservation 5
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 requires that the child perspective is strengthened in custody disputes and that children's best interests come first with the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a foundation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the child perspective is strengthened in custody disputes and that children's best interests come first with the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a foundation. Own legal representation gives the child its own voice in cases about custody, residence and contact, in line with the plan's demand that legal aid and oversight should guarantee everyone's equality before the law. The plan does not mention representation for children, so the support is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att barnperspektivet stärks i vårdnadstvister och att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet med barnkonventionen som grund. Ett eget juridiskt biträde ger barnet en egen röst i mål om vårdnad, boende och umgänge, i linje med planens krav på att rättshjälp och insyn ska garantera allas likhet inför lagen. Planen nämner inte biträde för barn, varför stödet är härlett.
- strengthened child perspective in custody disputesdecisive»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.”
- child's interests foremost»Vänsterpartiets politik ska utformas så att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party's policy should be designed so that children's best interests come first.”
- Convention on the Rights of the Child as foundation»Därför fastslås barns rättigheter i särskild ordning i Barnkonventionen.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, children's rights are established in particular in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
- legal aid gives equality before law»Genom medborgerlig insyn, rättshjälp, offentlig debatt och granskning av rättstillämpningen garanteras allas likhet inför lagen.« (party programme ↗)“Through public oversight, legal aid, public debate and review of law enforcement, everyone's equality before the law is guaranteed.”
The programme binds the party to the child convention, to the best interests of the child being considered in all decisions and to equivalent conditions for all children.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The programme binds the party to the child convention, to the best interests of the child being considered in all decisions and to equivalent conditions for all children. A dedicated legal representative for children in cases concerning custody, residence and contact is a means for the child to actually be able to assert their rights in the process. The documents however say nothing about procedural representatives, which is why the conclusion is inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Programmet binder partiet vid barnkonventionen, vid att barnets bästa ska beaktas i alla beslut och vid likvärdiga villkor för alla barn. Ett eget juridiskt biträde för barn i mål om vårdnad, boende och umgänge är ett medel för att barnet faktiskt ska kunna hävda sina rättigheter i processen. Dokumenten säger dock inget om processrättsliga ombud, varför slutsatsen är härledd.
- the child convention and the best interests of the childdecisive»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention. Barnens« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children's”
- 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”
- rights must be able to be asserted»Respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna är en förutsättning för demokrati.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for human rights is a prerequisite for democracy.”
The party programme wants to make the Convention on the Rights of the Child Swedish law, sees children as active co-creators and requires that children's legal protection is strengthened when there are suspicions of violence or abuse.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants to make the Convention on the Rights of the Child Swedish law, sees children as active co-creators and requires that children's legal protection is strengthened when there are suspicions of violence or abuse. The election manifesto moreover wants to review the right to legal aid where rights need to be enforceable. Independent legal representation for children in cases concerning custody, residence and access follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill göra barnkonventionen till svensk lag, ser barn som aktiva medskapare och kräver att barnets rättstrygghet stärks vid misstankar om våld eller övergrepp. Valmanifestet vill dessutom se över rätten till rättshjälp där rättigheter behöver kunna hävdas. Ett eget juridiskt biträde för barn i mål om vårdnad, boende och umgänge följer av dessa åtaganden.
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child as lawdecisive»barnkonvention ska bli svensk lag och politiska« (party programme ↗)“Convention on the Rights of the Child should become Swedish law and political”
- strengthened legal protection for children»ohälsa. Barnets rättstrygghet måste stärkas om det« (party programme ↗)“illness. Children's legal protection must be strengthened if”
- children as active co-creators»vara en rättighet för alla. Barn är aktiva medskapare« (party programme ↗)“be a right for all. Children are active co-creators”
- right to legal aid»stärka lagstiftningen mot diskriminering och se över rätten till rättshjälp i diskrimineringsfall.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen legislation against discrimination and review the right to legal aid in discrimination cases.”
The plan requires that access to legal representation be improved and that everyone be able to have their case tried, while the party programme makes children's rights and perspective weigh most heavily when society's actors act.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that access to legal representation be improved and that everyone be able to have their case tried, while the party programme makes children's rights and perspective weigh most heavily when society's actors act. Own legal counsel for children in cases about custody, residence and access realizes both these commitments. The plan does not specifically mention counsel for children, so the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att tillgången till ombud förbättras och att alla ska kunna få sin sak prövad, medan partiprogrammet gör barnens rättigheter och perspektiv till det som väger tyngst när samhällets aktörer agerar. Ett eget juridiskt biträde för barn i mål om vårdnad, boende och umgänge förverkligar båda dessa åtaganden. Planen nämner inte biträde för barn särskilt, varför slutsatsen är härledd.
- better access to representativesdecisive»Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lead times for processing and agency operations in courts and agencies must be shortened and access to representatives improved.”
- children's rights first»Av största betydelse är då barnens rättigheter och perspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Of the greatest importance is then children's rights and perspective.”
- right to trial»Alla som bor i Sverige ska kunna få sin sak prövad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Everyone who lives in Sweden shall be able to have their case tried.”
The party programme establishes that children should have the right to their own representative when the family is receiving support from social services, that children should be respected as individuals and that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as law clarifies their rights.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that children should have the right to their own representative when the family is receiving support from social services, that children should be respected as individuals and that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as law clarifies their rights. General legal aid should also be strengthened. The counter-proposal's reform with separate legal representation for children in custody cases follows from these commitments, although custody cases are not specifically mentioned.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att barn ska ha rätt till ett eget ombud när familjen är föremål för socialtjänstens stöd, att barn ska respekteras som individer och att barnkonventionen som lag tydliggör deras rättigheter. Den allmänna rättshjälpen ska dessutom stärkas. Motförslagets reform med eget juridiskt biträde för barn i vårdnadsmål följer av dessa åtaganden, även om just vårdnadsmål inte nämns.
- the child's own representativedecisive»När en hel familj behöver socialtjänstens stöd ska barn ha rätt« (party programme ↗)“When a whole family needs social services support, children should have the right”
- children as independent legal subjects»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 age take an increasing”
- the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as law»Genom att FN:s barnkonvention införlivats i svensk lag tydliggörs« (party programme ↗)“By incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Swedish law, it is clarified”
- strengthened legal aid»Den allmänna rättshjälpen ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“General legal aid should be strengthened.”
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 the child's best interest shall be paramount and that measures shall provide conditions for influence and participation for both adults and children.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the child's best interest shall be paramount and that measures shall provide conditions for influence and participation for both adults and children. Children who lack voting rights and their own capacity to assert their rights need special consideration when decisions are made about them. A separate legal representative for children in custody cases is an application of this.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet och att insatser ska ge förutsättningar för inflytande och delaktighet för såväl vuxna som barn. Barn som saknar rösträtt och egen förmåga att hävda sina rättigheter behöver särskilt beaktas när beslut fattas om dem. Ett eget juridiskt biträde för barn i vårdnadsmål är en tillämpning av detta.
- child's best interest firstdecisive»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interest shall be paramount”
- children's participation»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”
- children shall be heard»beakta ungdomars synpunkter när beslut fattas« (party programme ↗)“consider young people's views when decisions are made”
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 does not address legal representation for children in custody cases.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address legal representation for children in custody cases. The closest commitment is to expand the right to victim support for a vulnerable group, together with the principle that children's development is society's most important investment and that rights protection for individuals shall be practical and effective. Based on these, the plan provides weak support for proceeding with a separate representative for children.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte juridiskt biträde för barn i vårdnadsmål. Närmast liggande åtagande är att utöka rätten till målsägandebiträde för en utsatt grupp, tillsammans med principen att barns utveckling är samhällets viktigaste investering och att rättighetsskyddet för enskilda ska vara praktiskt och effektivt. Utifrån dessa ger planen ett svagt stöd för att gå vidare med ett eget biträde för barn.
- expanded right to support for vulnerabledecisive»Utöka rätten till målsägandebiträde för äldre brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand the right to victim support for elderly crime victims”
- children's development first»Samhällets viktigaste investering för framtiden är barns utveckling.« (party programme ↗)“Society's most important investment for the future is children's development.”
- effective rights protection»Vi måste se till att det inte bara är vackra ord, utan att grundlagen också ger ett praktiskt och effektivt skydd för enskilda människor i relation till exempelvis en kommun eller en statlig myndighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must ensure that it is not just fine words, but that the constitution also provides practical and effective protection for individuals in relation to, for example, a municipality or a state agency.”
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 states that children often end up in the middle when adults fail and that today there is insufficient support for the child, and requires that the child's best interests are always considered and that legal certainty in child matters increases.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that children often end up in the middle when adults fail and that today there is insufficient support for the child, and requires that the child's best interests are always considered and that legal certainty in child matters increases. Independent legal counsel for the child in custody matters is a concrete form of precisely the support the plan seeks. The plan does not specify the form of counsel, so coverage is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att barn ofta hamnar i kläm när vuxna brister och att det i dag saknas ett tillräckligt stöd till barnet, samt kräver att barnets bästa alltid beaktas och att rättssäkerheten i barnärenden ökar. Ett eget juridiskt biträde för barn i vårdnadsmål är en konkret form av just det stöd planen efterlyser. Planen anger inte biträdesformen, varför täckningen är härledd.
- 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 end up in the middle when adults fail and today there is insufficient support for the child.”
- child's best interests»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the child's best interests should always be considered”
- legal certainty in child matters»Öka kvalité och rättssäkerhet i utredningar om barn« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase quality and legal certainty in investigations concerning children”
- child's best interests in all situations»Sverigedemokraternas familjepolitik är att barnens bästa skall beaktas i alla situationer« (party programme ↗)“Sweden Democrats' family policy is that children's best interests shall be considered in all situations”
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:CU9)
- Committee report full text (HB01CU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:104 — Adoptionsrelaterade frågor av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:1053 — Arvode till vigselförrättare av Gunilla Carlsson och Dzenan Cisija (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1054 — Könsneutral föräldrabalk av Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1072 — Internationell solidaritet - en stark röst för hbtq-plus-personers rättigheter av Anna Wallentheim och Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1116 — Avskaffande av laglotten av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1230 — Arvode till vigselförrättare av Ulrika Heie (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1295 — Registrering av testamente av Malin Larsson och Peter Hedberg (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1374 — Ändring i föräldrabalken avseende beräkning av arvode för god man/förvaltare av Torsten Elofsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1378 — Införande av registrering av testamenten och framtidsfullmakter av Ingemar Kihlström (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1475 — Uppdaterade regler för överförmyndare och gode män av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1477 — Förlorad vårdnad vid mord av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1641 — Separerande av vigsel och välsignelse av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1672 — Våldsutövande föräldrar av Azadeh Rojhan och Alexandra Völker (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1678 — Kvinnor som lever gömda av Alexandra Völker och Azadeh Rojhan (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1735 — Ekonomiskt våld av Robert Hannah m.fl. (L)
- Motion 2023/24:1836 — Barns rätt till eget ombud i vårdnadstvister av Ida Ekeroth Clausson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1895 — Fler än två vårdnadshavare av Yasmine Bladelius och Anna Wallentheim (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2045 — Skyndsamt införande av tidsgräns för bodelning av Sanne Lennström m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2073 — Mäns våld mot kvinnor och våld i nära relationer av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2212 — Borgerlig vigselförrättare av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson och Ulrika Heindorff (båda M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament