In 2020, approximately 6900 children in Sweden were relevant for investigation of custody disputes. During the same year, 1802 court decisions were enforced regarding supervision by a contact person. Previous research has shown that children often have a lack of participation and opportunity to influence in these cases. It has also shown that parental rights and the child´s need for protection often outweigh the child´s expressed will. The aim of this study was to investigate children´s participation in the district court´s judgments regarding supervision by a contact person. What an impact the child´s will have and how factors such as age, risks and their best interest affect children´s ability to be involved. Through a qualitative content analysis, nine judgments from various district courts in Sweden during 2018-2021 have been selected. The material was then analyzed with the help of social constructivist theory and Roger Hart´s ladder of participation. The study shows that in six out of nine judgments, children are involved based on different levels and that 44% of the judgments are in accordance with the child´s expressed will. However, it has been difficult to read out how the child´s will has actually had a bearing on the verdict. The result also shows that factors such as age, risks and the best interests of the child affects the child´s ability to participate. In cases where the district court has not reported the child´s will or participation, no explanation or clarification is given as to why it is so.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-120487 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Gunnarsson, Malin |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för socialt arbete (SA) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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