Kinship care (fosterhjem i slekt og nettverk) means placing a child with relatives or trusted people in the child’s close network instead of with strangers. Many children prefer this option because it preserves identity, culture, and continuity — but only if the assessment is fair and the support is real.
Important: This article is educational and not legal advice.
What “family and network” placements can look like
- Grandparents, aunts/uncles, adult siblings
- Close family friends, neighbors, godparents
- Trusted adults in the child’s environment (e.g., coaches, mentors)
Why authorities must assess kinship options early
Norwegian practice and guidance emphasize that when a child cannot live at home, the child welfare service should always explore whether someone in the child’s family or close network can provide a safe placement. This is about minimizing disruption and preserving the child’s relational world.
Assessment topics that often decide the outcome
- Safety and capacity: Can the carers provide stable daily care and protect the child?
- Role boundaries: Can carers cooperate with child welfare while resisting harmful pressure from adults?
- Contact and loyalty conflicts: Will the carers support healthy relationships (including safe contact with parents)?
- Culture and language: Especially important for minority children and cross-border family networks.
Support and compensation
A recurring problem is when kinship carers are treated as “second tier” foster parents — expected to do the work without the same training, guidance, or economic terms. Do Better Norge’s view: if the state places a child, the state must support the placement.
Do Better Norge perspective
- Family preservation first: Kinship care can reduce trauma when removal happens, but it should not become an excuse for weak reunification work.
- Bias awareness: Network carers can be unfairly rejected due to class, disability, minority background, or “non-standard” family structures.
- Written reasoning: If kinship options are rejected, demand a clear written explanation of why and what evidence was relied upon.
Official resources
- Bufdir: Foster homes in family and close network
- Bufetat/Bufdir (PDF): Foster home in kinship and network
- Bufdir: “Fosterhjem i slekt og nettverk” (knowledge and articles)
Practical tip: Ask the caseworker to document that your family/network has been mapped, who was contacted, and the reasons for any exclusions. This helps prevent silent “no” decisions.
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