– Here is the living room and kitchen. What we all associate with an ordinary home, says Rune Midtgård.
The divisional director of the child welfare agency Humana shows the way through the house in the Tønsberg area. There is room here for three young people who the children’s welfare has decided need a new home.
Despite the great need for such places, the building and places in departments elsewhere in the country have been empty throughout the summer.
The house in the Tønsberg area has room for three young people aged 13-18.
Photo: Roy Pettersen / NRK
– We are ready to increase capacity in Northern Norway, at a department in Central Norway that specializes in drug addiction, an emergency department in Agder and a department here in Austlandet, says Midtgård.
Humana prefers long-term agreements. – We cannot risk standing with our beards in the mailbox, says divisional director Rune Midtgård.
Photo: Roy Pettersen / NRK
In July, Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) interrupted her holiday for an urgent meeting with actors in child protection. Private players were asked to increase capacity.
– There is a serious and pressing situation in institutional childcare now, Toppe told NRK.
– After that meeting, we have heard nothing more from the ministry in that matter, says Midtgård.
Last on the priority list
When a municipality decides that a child must have a new place to live, either urgently or planned, it is Bufetat that has the state’s responsibility for finding a suitable measure.
In July, there were 16 possible breaches of the duty to provide assistance, where children and young people did not receive appropriate measures quickly enough.
Photo: Roy Pettersen / NRK
If the Bureau does not have its own places available, ask the private operators. First non-profit actors, and then commercial ones. In the Hurdal platform, the Støre government has decided to “gradually phase out large commercial players within child protection”.
This means that Humana’s vacant beds are the least desirable solution, despite the available capacity.
– In our action plan to increase preparedness, it is clearly stated that all available capacity must be looked at. Out in the regions, this primarily means individual agreements in the short term, says Toppe.
Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe has a goal that 30 intervention places will be created in the short term.
Photo: Jon P Petrusson / NRK
The Minister does not wish to comment on specific actors, as it is the Bureau of Statistics that enters into the agreements in various regions.
Humana points to the need for long-term agreements to use additional capacity.
– It costs to build up, but it also costs to build down. We cannot risk standing with our beards in the mailbox at the next crossroads, says Midtgård.
In Humana’s youth home, there is little that says until the house is ready to move into.
Photo: Roy Pettersen / NRK
Several children and young people do not receive measures
In the first half of 2023, there have been at least 24 breaches of the duty of assistance, according to figures NRK has collected from the state administrators. The governing authorities have then concluded that Bufetat has not been able to find a proper measure.
In July alone, there were at least 16 possible breaches of the duty to provide assistance, Bufdir tells NRK.
Several vacant places have been empty throughout the summer.
Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / NRK
– The regions have been told to increase capacity within various needs. It is a clear order to reach the target of 30 new places in the short term, says Toppe.
She assures that there is dialogue with private actors to ease the situation.
– However, it is not said that absolutely all commercial offers must receive contracts. If there are new framework agreements, it must take a little longer, says Toppe.
The divisional director says they have taken the signal about phasing out seriously, and are adapting operations accordingly.
– Now we first need to know how long our offer is desirable this time. With a marching order in July, I am quite sure that some of the children could already have a place to live, says Midtgård.
2023-08-15 21:38:49
#Leaving #beds #empty #lack #childcare #places
