Child protection investigations in the Swedish social services – are they really children ́s best interests? Is a ”hunting the monster theory” influencing social work and decisions?

Some questionable patterns of thinking in the child protection investigations, in compulsory placement of children, in Sweden, are critically discussed. It is also suggested that a kind of psychotic thinking (self-insight is weak) named ”hunting the monster theory” lies behind many phenomena in the thinking of the investigators in the child protection investigations. Twelve hypotheses are formulated about this theory. It should be clear that this theory can be relevant to a subset of cases, not to all cases in compulsory placement and not to the many cases with voluntary placement. Introduction In the Swedish social welfare system social workers investigate reports from authorities and public about suspected child maltreatment. This welfare system is in matters of child protection regulated by the Social Services Act (SoL) and by the Care of Young Persons Act (LVU) and by governmental regulations. The system is politically governed by the local governments in the 290 municipalities. An investigation of a case of suspected child maltreatment can result in, e. g. a judgment that the information reported is untrue, that no measures are judged necessary, in different kinds of social support measures in consensus with the parent/s, in a placement of a child in consensus with the parent/s or in a compulsory placement. Compulsory placements are made in a minority of the investigated cases and only after approval from a county administrative court. According to official statistics from the National Board of Health and Welfare (2008), at November 1, 2008, approximately 15 800 children (under 18 years of age) were placed outside their home. Of these 4 800 were in compulsory custody (LVU care). Approximately 200 children were this day in LVU immediate custody. Sweden ́s population was about 9, 26 million people per December 31, 2008. There has been during the years considerable attention in the Swedish newspapers and other media concerning compulsory placement of children in concrete cases. Authorities have sometimes assured that the often criticized investigations made by professional social workers are quite in order. The discourse about child protection investigations has been and still is heated partly because issues of child maltreatment arouse strong feelings. It seems that compulsory custody can be disputed seriously for lack of factual grounds in some cases. In the dominant political ideology there seems to be conceptions of "the good authorities" and of "the bad/evil parents". It should also be emphasized that on the local community level all political parties in Sweden have frequently participated in decisions concerning compulsory placement of children, so all can be criticized for politically accepting bad child protection investigations and making bad decisions.