National child welfare – StatRes (discontinued), 2007

Final figures show that NOK 4.5 billion was spent on the national child welfare service in 2007, an increase of NOK 213 million or 5 per cent from 2006.

Growth in expenditures on foster homes and home-based initiatives

Stays in institutions is still the most expensive child welfare assistance, and cost about NOK 2.9 billion in 2007. However, expenditures on 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 services

The statistics include figures for both stays and treatment days. The number of stays in national child welfare services 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

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 according to preliminary figures. 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.