child welfare in nordic countries.pdf

Social work and Nordic welfare policies for children*present challenges in the light of the past1 Gudny Bjo?rk Eydal Mirja Satka The aim of this article is to explore welfare policies for children in five Nordic countries*Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden*and in that context identify what kinds of issues and challenges social work is currently facing. The data reviewed consist of policy documents, law texts, official reports, statistics, professional texts, and previous research. Policies and laws on children’s protection; provisions, including policies on state benefits and care for children; and the autonomous integrity of children in terms of the norms and policies concerning their participation, in particular in public everyday life, are analysed from a historical perspective. Hence, future challenges for social work are analysed in light of the past. Our conclusion is that social workers have a unique opportunity, based on their close encounters with children as clients, to work for the realisation of children’s rights. Furthermore, by applying a holistic perspective to issues of childhood and parenthood, social workers can contribute to the development of knowledge on how welfare systems can meet the challenges brought about by the new ideas of children’s rights, social changes, globalisation, and the new ideological concepts of risk that have arisen in child welfare. Keywords: Children’s Rights; Welfare Policies for Children; Nordic History of Childhood; Welfare State Artikkeli tarkastelee lasten hyvinvointipolitiikan kehitysta? viidessa? Pohjoismaassa* Tanskassa, Suomessa, Islannissa, Norjassa ja Ruotsissa* ja sen valossa sita? millaisia kysymyksia? ja haasteita ta?ma?n pa?iva?n lasten hyvinvoinnin parissa tehta?va? sosiaalityo? Correspondence to: Gudny Bjo?rk Eydal, Assistant Professor of Social Work, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Science, University of Iceland, Oddi v/Sturlugo?tu, 101 Reykjav??k, Iceland. Tel.: /354 Em