Children, youths see average child welfare: survey

On a scale from 4 to 10, child welfare received the average grade of 6.33, according to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and carried out by the Central Union for Child Welfare.

Children and young people said that child welfare should increase inclusion, reduce staff turnover and improve the regulation related to restrictive measures, said the ministry in a press release on Monday, quoting the survey.

The most common grade respondents gave in all subjects was 4 but, with high dispersion of answers, child welfare also received some good grades.

Respondents gave their highest grades for fairness and security. There was most dispersion in the grades for fairness and success, which means that the experiences of these two areas vary the most.

The Central Union for Child Welfare conducted the survey in November and December among children and young people aged 10 to 25 with personal experience of child welfare. The respondents were asked to give school grades for six child welfare “subjects” (fairness, safety, timeliness, consideration of opinions, success and clarity) and provide a verbal assessment.

Surprisingly many respondents signed off their report card with gratitude or love, but while they may have thanked individual workers in the open answers, respondents criticised child welfare as a whole.

A survey such as this reduces each respondent’s history with child welfare, no matter how long or varied, to a single numerical grade, but children and young people have nevertheless sent a clear message: child welfare should have done more.

A total of 297 children and young people aged 10 to 25 who had been child welfare clients responded to the survey.

About 77% of the respondents said they had been placed outside home.

The average grades varied between 6 and 7, corresponding to adequate and satisfactory.

Many respondents gave the lowest score; the most common grade was 4. Of all the respondents, more than 40 gave 4 for every subject.