Congress program

Monday 2 September (pre-congress): Field visits

Pre-registration required

Option 1: Landsforeningen for barnevernsbarn (LfB)
https://barnevernsbarna.no/
Ensjøveien 18, Oslo
See information on the Field visits page

Option 2: Barneverntjenesten i Frogn kommune
https://www.frogn.kommune.no/artikkel/Barnevern
Approx 40 min from Oslo Bus Terminal
Presentation will be held at Drøbak Aquarium, Havnegata 4, 1441 Drøbak.
See information on the Field visits page

Option 3: Barnevernvakten i Oslo
https://www.barnevernvakten.no/kommuner/oslo-kommune
Politihuset i Oslo
Grønlandsleiret 44, 0190 Oslo
See information on the Field visits page

Option 4: Brusetkollen barneverninstitusjon
https://brusetkollen.no/barnevernsinstitusjon/
Otto Valstads vei 70, 1395 Hvalstad
40 min from Oslo Central Station
See information on the Field visits page

Monday 2 September (pre-congress day): Tourist visit 16.30-18.00

Pre-registration required

The city of Oslo – main historical sites of both Oslo and Norway
Meeting point: Outside Oslo Kongressenter (same place as the Congress)
Time: 4.30 pm – 6 pm
Tour guide: Kristian Bredby
Language: English
Price: Free of charge
See information on the Tourist visit page

Tuesday 3 September - Venue: Oslo Kongressenter

09.00-09.30	Welcome! Registration opens at 09.00 and you can get a cup of coffee before the congress opens
09.30-10.30	Opening of the congress Welcome to NBK 2024 by the leader of Norsk barnevernsamband, Lina Øyen Aatif Musical opening Opening speeches by: Eli Blakstad, State Secretary, Ministry of Children and Families Hege Nilssen, The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) Mina Gerhardsen, Ombudsperson for Children The congress will be hosted by the Norwegian Barnevernsamband's own podcast couple Vilde Adolfsen and Ellen Galaasen
10.30-11.10	Trond Helland (Norway) "The Convention on the Rights of the Child's imprint on judgments from the European Court of Human Rights: a negligible footprint?" The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) is the supreme interpreter of all matters regarding the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and has no obligations toward any other international law and/or jurisprudence. While the ECHR/ECtHR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are separate treaties, they are related in their protection of human rights. Even though there is no official connection between the ECHR/ECtHR and the CRC, the Court has acknowledged a reciprocal, harmonious relationship between the two conventions. Leaning on concepts of legal mobilisation, lawfare, and availability heuristics, there seems to be a clear development in how the CRC is used in and by the ECtHR, indicating that the CRC has an increasingly stronger footing within the Court, especially in the past decade. Moreover, within the last decade, children's rights have gained increased attention in the ECtHR following a mobilisation against the Norwegian child protection system (CPS). Between 2017 and January 2024, the Court resolved 51 cases against the Norwegian CPS - which is more than all other European countries combined. Norway, having ratified both the ECHR and CRC, is thus obliged to follow both conventions. The questions are: How has children's rights developed in the ECtHR, which role has the CRC played in this development, and what does it entail for children's rights in Norway and the rest of Europe?
11.10-11.30	Break Coffee/tea break with mingling and the opportunity to visit stands in the foyer
11.30-12.10	Elina Pekkarinen (Finland) “Promoting better protection for children in the framework of CRC” In Finland the number of children in need of child welfare and alternative care has increased in recent decades. Criticism towards the service system grows as costs are rising and evidence of the service's effectiveness is contradictory: how can we fix the system towards child welfare that is based on the rights and best interest of the child?
12.10-12.50	David Pålsson (Sweden), Associate Professor, University of Stockholm "Supervision of out-of-home care in the Nordic countries” Nordic welfare states are increasingly developing various mechanisms and systems to monitor out-of-home care. How is supervision organized and conducted in the Nordic countries? What are the prerequisites for such systems to guarantee quality care and minimize risks for children in out-of-home care?
12.50-13.50	Lunch Lunch with mingling and the opportunity to visit stands in the foyer
13.50-15.50	Parallel sessions We present a number of exciting parallel sessions. You meet services that share their projects. And you will be served up-to-date research. Click here for parallel session program
15.50-16.10	Break Coffee/tea break with mingling and the opportunity to visit stands in the foyer
16.10-16.50	Pall Olafsson (Iceland) “Turning the tide - Integration of Service in the interest of Children´s Prosperity” In Iceland 8% of children are reported to Child Protection. We want to turn that tide by changing our way of working, our responsibility and how we respond when parents or children seek help. In January 2022 the act of The Integration of Service in the interest of Childrens Prosperity came into force. We want to help children solve problems before they become too complicated or too hard to fix. We want to listen and talk to children and in cooperation with them and their parents integrate service of those who can be part of the solution. Children in need of early assistance, along with their parents, are ensured access to Coordinator who works at the primary level of service within Health care, Schools or Social Service. If children and their parents, need more targeted assistance, they are assured access to Case Manager in Social Service. The Case Manager leads the Support Team and is responsible for the creation of a Support Plan telling us how we are going to help the child. We are now in the third year of implementation and I want to tell you why we started this journey, what we have learned so far, were we are heading and why we got this financed
16.50-17.30	Anne Kirstine Mølholt (Denmark) "Transitions and the Non-linearity of Lives" Children and young people in vulnerable positions often experience a range of transitions during their upbringing. Contextualised by young people leaving out-of-home care's transition to adulthood, this presentation addresses understandings of independence, interdependence, linear and non-linear lives. By focusing on these concepts, the intention is to reflect upon how we understand and approach the pathways and progressions in life among children and young people who are part of child welfare services
19.30	Aperitif served in the foyer at Oslo Kongressenter
20.00	Congress dinner at Oslo Kongressenter Good food and entertainment from all the Nordic countries Cultural entry – “Korølio”

Wednesday 4 September - Venue: Oslo Kongressenter

09.00-10.30	Parallel sessions We present a number of exciting parallel sessions. You meet services that share their projects. And you will be served up-to-date research. Click here for parallel session program
10.30-10.45	Break Coffee/tea break with mingling and the opportunity to visit stands in the foyer
10.45-11.30	Plenary Cultural entry – “Natanya & Leah” Conversation with children's Ombudsmen from some of the Nordic countries
11.30-13.30	Lunch in Oslo City Hall Departure from Oslo Kongressenter at 11.30. Lunch starts at 12.00 in Oslo City Hall The lunch marks the end of the congress