Supervised Contact Between Children in Care and Their Parents—A Study of Professional Reflections

Hege Sundt () and Ellen Synnøve Aarseth
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Hege Sundt: Department of Welfare and Participation, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 5020 Bergen, Norway
Ellen Synnøve Aarseth: Department of Social Sciences, Volda University College, 6101 Volda, Norway

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: Establishing good contact arrangements between children in public care and their parents is of great significance for those involved. To ensure the child’s protection and safety, supervised contact may be necessary. This can be a complex situation that necessitates high-quality social work and thorough reflection. Empirical data were derived from a vignette study and eight focus groups conducted by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services. Our research considers the following questions: How does supervised contact become a theme when assessing contact arrangements for children and parents after the child has been taken into care, and how is the concept of supervised contact understood by social workers? The findings show that supervised contact may be recommended for various reasons, such as control, support, and safety, to observe and gather more information. This study reveals a need for social workers to develop greater awareness in their assessments and decisions regarding the implementation of supervised contact. It is important to explore the various ways supervised contact is conceived and practiced. We also need to critically discuss the opportunities and challenges it represents, as well as the need to provide support and guidance to the child and parents and facilitate positive collaboration with child welfare services.

Keywords: child welfare; children in public care; contact arrangements; social work; supervised contact; visit; visitation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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