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Health care for children in child welfare

The purpose of the research project is to investigate whether children and young people in child welfare services receive necessary health care, and to identify important barriers to health care. The project will contribute so that child welfare services and health services are better able to meet the children's needs.

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The project is divided into four subprojects

Subproject 1 will investigate health care services received by children and young people in child welfare services, what characterises their use of health services, and how the development has been in the last ten years. We will analyse this using data from the Norwegian Patient Register (NPR) and the Municipal Patient and User Register (KPR), and child welfare statistics from Statistics Norway.

Subproject 2 will examine children and young people's need for health care, and experiences with the health service. Here, we will conduct a qualitative user study with interviews of young people and parents, followed by an electronic survey among young people.

Subproject 3 will examine important barriers to necessary health care. We will do a combined portfolio and interview study among caseworkers in child welfare. Furthermore, we will conduct interviews with providers in key services.

Subproject 4 will investigate the use of video consultation as a method for treatment and follow-up of children living in child welfare institutions. Furthermore, how the use of video-based meetings inhibits and promotes cooperation between child welfare service and children and adolescnets' mental health services. A literature search (Scoping review) is performed as well as qualitative interviews with therapists.

We will make a comprehensive analysis based on findings in subprojects 1-4. This will form a knowledge base with recommendations for whether there is a need to adjust existing measures, or implement further measures, so that the child welfare service and the health sector are better able to meet children's needs.

Key Factors

Project duration

2020 - 2023

Financing

Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs

Cooperation Partners

NTNU Social Research
Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare
University of South-Eastern Norway

Project Type

Assignment for the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs

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