The Best Interests of the Child or the Rights of the Parents? : A Qualitative Study on How Social Workers Assess Risk and Protection in Connection with Contact Between LVU-Placed Children and Their Parents

The aim of this study was to examine how social workers in child and family services assessed risk and protective factors during visitation between children placed under the Swedish Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act (LVU) and their parents. It also aimed to explore how the follow-up practices of social services influenced the children’s sense of security. The study was based on a qualitative research approach, employing semi-structured interviews conducted with eight social workers from three different municipalities. The theoretical framework was grounded in Lipsky’s theory of discretion and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. The findings revealed that while social workers struggled to clearly define risk and protective factors, these concepts were consistently applied in their assessments, which were highly context dependent. The results emphasized the importance of continuous follow-up during visitation to enhance the children’s sense of security. Although the social workers prioritized the perspectives of the children, the findings indicated that parents’ rights often outweighed the best interests of the child in practice. Additionally, the study highlighted the lack of standardized tools within the organizational framework, which led to a greater reliance on individual discretion. This reliance compromised the legal consistency of assessments and challenged the fulfillment of the child’s best interests.