National child welfare – StatRes (discontinued), 2007

Stays in institutions is still the most expensive child welfare assistance, and cost about NOK 2.9 billion in 2007. However, expenditure for places in institutions for children and juveniles increased by less than 1 per cent from 2006 to 2007. In comparison, the expenditure for different types of reinforced foster homes and home-based initiatives such as MST (Multisystemic Therapy), PMTO (Parent Management Training Oregon) and other types of home-based initiatives increased by 18 and 10 per cent respectively last year.

About 11 500 stays in child welfare service

The statistics include figures for both stays and treatment days. The number of stays in the national child welfare service increased by about 5 per cent last year to 11 500 compared with 10 900 in the previous year. Stays in different types of reinforced foster homes and home-based initiatives increased the most, by 6 and 10 per cent respectively, while stays in institutions increased by less than 1 per cent.

30 700 more treatment days

Preliminary figures show that a total of 1 076 885 treatment days were registered in 2007, compared with 1 046 196 in 2006, an increase of 3 per cent. The number of treatment days in institutions continues to decrease, from 554 800 in 2006 to 537 800 in 2007, a decrease of 3 per cent. The number of treatment days in different types of reinforced foster homes, family homes and emergency shelter homes increased by 10 per cent, and the number of treatment days in home-based initiatives increased by 8 per cent.

The expenditure per treatment day in an institution increased from NOK 5 250 in 2006 to about NOK 5 450 in 2007, an increase of 4 per cent.