The aim of this study was to investigate how the best interest of the child was considered and reasoned with in cases where one parent has been using violence against the other parent and child has been exposed to this. The focus of our study was to see how the different units in social services cooperate for the best interest of the child and also how they reason their own assessment in these cases. The empirical data of this study consists of 8 qualitative interviews with social workers in family law or child protection services. We have chosen to base our study with three scientific theories, which are: collaboration theory, interorganizational organization theory and the theory of professions. The outcome of this study has been coded and themed in diverse steps to pinpoint the fundamental categories. These categories are: factors of importance in collaboration and factors that affect what is considered to be the best interest of the child. Based on our results and the empirical data studied, we have drawn a conclusion that there are many different and complex factors that can influence the decision making of a child's contact with an abusive parent. The interpretation and collaboration can be influenced by different factors such as the goals and purpose of the unit. It can be stated through our study that there is a positive view of collaboration between family law and child protection services. However, it can also be stated that the collaboration does not occur to the same extent as one would have liked within the units and that this could be due to various factors. We have also noticed that there has not been a lot of research on our topic regarding the interaction between family law and child protection services, especially regarding cases of violence. There is a need for more research regarding an internal collaboration within the social services that can be implemented as there are shortcomings in practice that have emerged in our study. We believe that the social workers in the social services and the families in question would have benefited from a more comprehensive research on how to interact with each other for the best interests of the child.

Bestämmelserna om flyttningsförbud återfinns i 24 och 27 §§ lag (1990:52) med särskilda bestämmelser om vård av unga (LVU). Enligt 24 § LVU får förvaltningsrätten meddela ett flyttningsförbud om det finns en påtaglig risk för att barnets hälsa eller utveckling skadas vid en flyttning från familjehemmet. Om det är sannolikt att ett flyttningsförbud behövs och rättens beslut inte kan avvakta med hänsyn till risken för barnets hälsa eller utveckling får socialnämnden besluta om ett tillfälligt flyttningsförbud, se 27 § LVU. I 28 § LVU stadgas att ett beslut om tillfälligt flyttningsförbud ska underställas förvaltningsrätten. Utifrån teoribildningen om stigbundenhet kan en problematik med beslut om flyttningsförbud urskiljas. Stigbundenhet innebär att tidigare beslut bildar en utgångspunkt för senare beslut. Huvudsyftet med uppsatsen är dels att utreda i hur många beslut om flyttningsförbud socialnämnden har fått ett tillfälligt flyttningsförbud fastställt innan förvaltningsrätten meddelar ett flyttningsförbud, dels att studera antalet mål kammarrätten kommer till samma beslut som förvaltningsrätten i en process om flyttningsförbud. Om förvaltningsrätten och kammarrätten i många mål kommer till samma beslut undersöker uppsatsen om det vid beslut om flyttningsförbud finns en risk för stigbundenhet. Finns det en risk för stigbundenhet granskar uppsatsen ifall domstolen beslutar om flyttningsförbud trots att det inte är motiverat av principen om barnets bästa. Ett delsyfte med uppsatsen är att kartlägga vid vilka situationer och varför ett flyttningsförbud meddelas och ett tillfälligt flyttningsförbud fastställs. Ännu ett delsyfte med uppsatsen är att konstatera hur bestämmelsen om flyttningsförbud fungerar i praktiken och om förändringar av gällande rätt borde ske. En rättsdogmatisk metod används i uppsatsen för att utreda gällande rätt när det gäller regleringen om vård av barn och speciellt hur bestämmelserna om flyttningsförbud tillämpas. För att konstatera hur bestämmelsen om flyttningsförbud fungerar i praktiken och om förändringar av gällande rätt borde ske nyttjas en kritisk rättsdogmatisk metod. För att besvara uppsatsens huvudsyfte, delsyften och frågeställningar studeras domar där både förvaltningsrätten och kammarrätten prövat frågan om tillfälligt flyttningsförbud eller flyttningsförbud i sak. Utifrån resultatet av rättsfallsstudien är det befogat att konstatera att det finns en risk för stigbundenhet vid beslut om flyttningsförbud. Det finns en risk för stigbundenhet eftersom förvaltningsrätten och kammarrätten tog samma beslut i 85 % av målen och kammarrätten i en av fyra domar mer eller mindre endast hänvisade till förvaltningsrättens bedömning. I åtminstone majoriteten av domarna i rättsfallsstudien tog förvaltningsrätten och kammarrätten ett beslut som är i linje med barnets bästa. Rättsfallsstudien visar att ett flyttningsförbud i regel meddelas, när vårdnadshavaren uttryckt att den tänker eller vill hämta barnet från familjehemmet, efter en sammanvägning av diverse omständigheter. Det mest centrala vid bedömningen var barnets anknytning till familjehemmet och den risk för skada en separation skulle innebära för barnet. Det är genom rättsfallsstudien möjligt att se ett mönster för när ett flyttningsförbud anses behövligt. Bestämmelsen om flyttningsförbud verkar därmed fungera någorlunda. För att bestämmelsen om flyttningsförbud ska fungera mer tillfredställande borde dock en förändring av gällande rätt ske. / The regulations on prohibiting the relocation of a child in preventive care are found in sections 24 and 27 of the Care of Young Persons Act (1990: 52, LVU). According to section 24 LVU, the Administrative Court may issue a prohibition to relocate a child if there is a significant risk that the child's health or development could be damaged by the relocation from the family home. If it is plausible that a relocation ban is needed and the court's decision cannot wait, with regard to the risk for the child's health or development, the Social Welfare Committee may decide on a temporary relocation ban, see section 27 LVU. Section 28 LVU, stipulates that a decision on a temporary relocation ban shall be submitted to the Administrative Court. Based on a theory of path dependence a problem with decisions about a relocation ban can be distinguished, as the concept of path dependence entails that earlier decisions influence later decisions. The main purpose of the thesis is partly to investigate in how many cases the Social Welfare Committee has temporarily prohibited the relocation of a child before the Administrative Court announces a relocation ban, and partly to study the number of cases the Administrative Court of Appeal comes to the same decision as the Administrative Court in a relocation ban process. If the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of Appeal come to the same decision in multiple cases the thesis will examine whether there is a risk of path dependence. If there is a risk of path dependence the thesis will further examine whether the court decides to prohibit the relocation of a child even though it is not justified by the principle of the best interests of the child. A subsidiary purpose of the thesis is to map out in which situations and why the court announce a relocation ban and establish a temporary relocation ban. Another subsidiary purpose of the thesis is to establish how the regulation of the relocation ban works in practice and if changes to applicable law should take place. A legal dogmatic method and a critical legal dogmatic method is used in the thesis. To answer the thesis' main purpose, subsidiary purposes and research questions, decisions from both the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of Appeal about temporary relocation ban and relocation ban are examined.  Based on the results of the case study it is justified to state that there is a risk of path dependence when the court decides on a relocation ban. There is a risk of path dependence because the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of Appeal made the same decision in 85 % of the cases. Another factor that signifies a risk of path dependence is that the Administrative Court of Appeal in one out of four verdicts more or less only referred to the Administrative Court's assessment. In at least the majority of the verdicts the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of Appeal made a decision that is in line with the best interests of the child. The case study shows that the court usually announces a relocation ban, when the child’s guardian expresses that he or she intends or wants to move the child from the family home, depending on different circumstances. The most central circumstance was the child's connection to the family home and the risk of harm when separated. Through the case study it is possible to see a pattern for when a relocation ban is considered necessary. Thus, it can be concluded that the provision on the relocation bans seems to work reasonably well. However, to make the provision on the relocation ban function more satisfactorily a change in the applicable law should take place.

The advent of ARTs has enabled many individuals to have children and build families. Although ARTs have from the start been designated to serve as alternative way for heterosexual infertile individuals and couples to have genetically related children, ARTs are nowadays widely used by gays and lesbians to have even genetically unrelated children and build their families. This study addresses the well-being of children born as a result of ARTs and growing up in homosexual families in South Africa. South Africa has legalised homosexual unions, granting gays and lesbians several rights, including the right to marry, use ARTs to reproduce, and build families in which they raise their children. South Africa has also provided constitutional and statutory protection of children’s rights and has further required that the child’s best interests be considered as paramount in every matter concerning the child. Although ARTs may have allowed people to have children, they have proven to put the child’s interests at risk. ARTs are associated with several physical and psychological problems for resulting children. The legal protection provided for those children seems to be inadequate in respect of their best interests. Unlike Australian statutes that have provided strong protection for the child’s best interests, South African legislations regulating ARTs are far from protecting ART-born children’s interests. The application of the child’s best interests criterion to ART procedures has revealed that in the USA and Australia efforts of the state, ART providers and parents have been centred on the transfer of the custody of the ART-born child to the commissioning parent(s). Although in South Africa the application of the child’s best interests in the context of surrogacy procedures has revealed the protection of the child’s interests, it should be noted that that protection seems to focus on the child’s post-birth period. This situation leaves ART-born children without any protection, especially before their birth. In order to give effect to section 28 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and protect ART-born children’s interests, I make certain proposals for law reform in the final chapter of this thesis. / Private Law / LL. D

In cases where children and youths are in need of support from various activities in order to have their needs met, authorities shall collaborate towards the common goal: the child’s best interests. The concept lacks an unambiguous definition and professionals should make decisions adjusted to the child’s individual needs. Within the Mobile team, which is an interprofessional form of collaboration between the school and social services, the different professional groups could be characterized by different perspectives. This may lead to different interpretations which can pose a challenge to agree on a joint decision for the child’s best interests. The study is based on a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with six professionals within a mobile team. The theories used to analyze the empirical material is collaboration theory and theory about discretion in decision making. Several noteworthy results were find. The mobile team work early and preventive both generally and with more concrete interventions for the child’s best interests. The work within collaboration can be divided into resourse-, information- and knowledge exchange which creates the opportunity to get at better overall picture of the child. Further, to work for the child’s best interests the mobile team focuses on school, spare time and family, as different areas that are important for the child. Their approach is also characterized by understanding and supporting individual needs. Finally, there are factors that need to be considered to fulfil a successful collaboration. For example, the professionals must be aware of each other’s duties, roles, activities and regulatory systems.