Keynote speakers

Trond Helland

Researcher, University of Bergen, 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. 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?

Anne-Kristine Mølholt

Senior researcher, The Danish Center for Social Science Research, 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.

Páll Ólafsson

Director, Department of Prosperity, The National Agency for Children and Families, 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.

Elina Pekkarinen

Ombudsman for Children, 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?

David Pålsson

Associate Professor, University of Stockholm, Sweden

"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?