Children and adolescents with immigrant background in Child welfare services 2012

This report describes how contact with the Child welfare services varies with immigrant background. The following three groups of minors (children and adolescents 0-22 years) are compared: 1) minors without an immigrant background, 2) immigrant minors and 3) Norwegian-born minors to immigrant parents. This report is based on Statistics Norway’s child welfare service statistics 2012, together with population as per 1 January 2013.

Of the 1 456 490 minors aged 0-22 years per 1 January 2013, 13.6 percent were immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents. These two groups are quite similar in size. Norwegian-born to immigrant parents was the largest group with 101 800 minors, and there were 96 100 immigrants. Both groups have grown strongly, about 25 percent, in the three-year period from 1 January 2010 to 1 January 2013.

During 2012, 53 198 minors received measures from the Child welfare services. Compared to the population of minors, 0-22 years, the ratio was 36.5 per 1 000 receiving measures in 2012.

The largest group receiving measures during 2012 was minors without an immigrant background, the number was 40 244, a ratio of 32.0 per 1 000. 7 331 immigrant minors received measures, a ratio of 76.3 per 1 000 immigrant minor. Fewer Norwegian-born to immigrant parents received measures in 2012, 5 136, a ratio of 50.4 per 1 000. The number of minors receiving measures has increased in all three groups since 2009. The ratios have also increased for minors without an immigrant background and immigrant minors. For Norwegian-born minors to immigrant parents the ratios are about the same in 2012 as in 2009.

Compared to the population of minors we find the highest ratios with measures among immigrants for the youngest children and in the oldest age groups. For 3-5-year-olds and 6-12-year-olds the highest ratios are among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents. In the other age groups the ratios among Norwegian-born to immigrant parents are lower than among immigrants, but higher than among minors without an immigrant background. More boys received help from the child welfare service in all three groups, and the highest level is among immigrants.

Immigrant minors from Afghanistan has by far the highest ratio, 288 per 1 000 received measures. The ratios for immigrant minors from Somalia and Iraq who received measures are also high, with 86 and 84 per 1 000 respectively. Among Norwegian-born minors with immigrant parents the minors from Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Vietnam have the highest ratios of measures. More than 60 per 1 000 Norwegian born minors with parents from Iraq and Vietnam received measures, and around 45 per 1 000 of those with parents from Pakistan and Somalia. The ratio of measures for immigrant minor refugees were 3.7 times higher than the ratios for minors were family reunification was the reason for immigration.

76 percent of minors, who were placed outside their homes at the end of 2012, had no immigrant background. But compared to the child population 2.7 times as many immigrants were placed outside their homes than minors without immigrant background. Norwegian-born to immigrant parents had the lowest placement rate.

In Oslo, one in three minor has an immigrant background, 10 percent are immigrants and 23 percent are Norwegian-born to immigrant parents. Minors, who lived in Oslo, in all groups, received less often measures compared to the rest of the country.