Vad är barnets bästa när rättsprinciper kolliderar? : En studie av principkollisioner i bedömningar av tvångsvårdade barns relation till ursprungsföräldrar

• Since parental reunification is the goal for most Swedish children in foster care, it is normally important to maintain contact with parents. However, sometimes a foster child’s best interests may be to stay in the foster home through a transfer of custody. This study set out to identify the legal principles that emerge when courts interpret a foster child’s best interests. A theoretical framework of normative legalism and psychology was used. The study shows that attachment theory often is emphasized in the legal material, and that precedents means there are a great many legal principles of relevance when a fosterchild’s best interest is to be assessed. Some of these principles are flexible, whereas other principles might collide. The conclusion of the article is that the occurrence of the word attachment in assessments and legal texts may not always refer to the psychological attachment theory. The results also suggest that actions of the authorities are not scrutinized, and that courts often give preference to the authorities’ interpretation of situations.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Attachment theory; the Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act; Foster care; Foster home; the Social Service Act

anknytningsteori

utvecklingspsykologi

LVU

tvångsomhändertagande

familjehem

familjehemsplaceringar

Socialt arbete

Social Work

Offentlig rätt

Public Law

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)