This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
You are here: 3/8 in the series Concern report to social services: your step-by-step guide
A report to social services about a child means that someone has provided information about a concern. Social services must receive the information and assess whether to proceed. This does not automatically mean that the report is correct, that you have done something wrong, or that the child will be placed. You need to act calmly, in writing, and in a structured manner.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026.
If you have been informed that someone has made a report, you often want to know who reported, what happens next, and how you can present your version without the meeting becoming chaotic. Previous step: scenarios and questions. Overview: concern report child: what happens. Next: SoL investigation. If social services mention taking into care or LVU: what LVU means and immediate taking into care.
If the concern involves an adult in the family or you as an adult, go to concern report adult social services (how to report, what happens, and your rights). This article focuses on children and parents. If the school's basis drives the concern, also see school deficiencies and concern reports.
The most important thing at the beginning is to understand what the concern is about, what social services are actually investigating, and what basis they are using. Do not respond to everything in affect. Ask for clarity, bring a support person, and document yourself.
Process map: what usually happens
- Reception: social services receive the report and make an initial assessment.
- Contact: you are contacted and called to a conversation/meeting.
- Investigation: social services gather information (conversations, information from school/healthcare, etc.).
- Assessment: they determine whether the child needs intervention/support.
- Decision: decision/action is communicated and documented.
First Contact: Questions You Should Ask
- Schedule a meeting as soon as possible, but first ask to know what the report concerns.
- Ask what specific information the social services want to discuss.
- Ask if there is any written documentation and when you can access it.
- Ask who will participate in the meeting and what the meeting is intended to achieve.
- Bring legal counsel/representation or a support person.
- Record the meeting if you attend and take your own notes.
How to Respond Factually
- Avoid a defensive stance. Respond calmly and specifically to the questions.
- Divide your response into facts, explanations, and what you can demonstrate with documents.
- State when you do not know something or need to verify information before responding.
- Request to access the social services' notes afterward.
- Summarize the meeting in writing in your own email.
Template: Written Response to a Concern Report
You can send this before or after the first meeting. Adjust the language, maintain the structure.
Hello,
I have been informed that a concern report was received on [date]. I wish to respond to the information in writing.
Information in the report (as I understand it): [short bullet list]
My response:
1. [facts with dates]
2. [facts with dates]
3. [attachment: email, medical certificate, school documentation]
What I am requesting:
- Written description of what the investigation concerns
- List of sources the social services intend to use
- Meeting with the possibility of a support person on [date]
Sincerely,
[name]
Mandatory Reporting: School, Healthcare, and Child Health Center (BVC)
When a concern report comes from a school, preschool, BVC, or healthcare, it involves mandatory reporting according to Chapter 19, Section 1 of the Social Services Act (2025:400). This does not mean that the staff believe you are guilty, but that they must immediately provide information if there is suspicion that a child is at risk. The school should not investigate itself and does not need evidence. Since July 1, 2025, the principal must also report to the police any crime a student is suspected of committing at school. The entire regulatory framework is found in concern report from the school: mandatory reporting and police report.
You can still request:
- What specific event or observation is behind the report.
- Whether the school documented additional adjustments, action plans, or student health meetings before the report.
- To access the school's documentation that the social services rely on (via a request for documents where possible).
See when the school contacts social services and request action plans and student documentation.
If the Concern Report Comes from the School
When the school reports concerns to social services, two tracks can become intertwined: the child's need for support in school and the social services' assessment of the family situation. Therefore, request that they be kept separate. Ask the school what support has been tried, what additional adjustments have been documented, and if there are action plans, student health notes, or meeting notes.
If you believe the school's portrayal is incorrect or incomplete, write your own timeline and request documentation. Then link the response to specific documents: absences, meetings, support measures, emails, and decisions.
Incorrect Concern Report: What to Do?
A report may contain misunderstandings, out-of-context quotes, or incorrect information. Do not just say "it is not true." Show what is incorrect, why it is incorrect, and what documentation supports your version.
- Write down each incorrect piece of information separately.
- Indicate what you believe is correct instead.
- Link each point to an attachment, date, email, or witness if available.
- Request that your response be added to the file.
- Follow up in writing if the social services' notes do not accurately reflect your response.
Follow-up email after the meeting
Send a short email the same day or the day after. It does not need to be long. The purpose is to confirm what you understood, which questions remain, and which documents you have requested.
Example: "I understood that the meeting concerned [issue]. I requested to review [documentation]. My position is that [brief response]. If I have misunderstood anything, I ask you to correct me in writing."
What has changed from 2025
From July 1, 2025, a new Social Services Act applies with a clearer focus on preventive work, accessibility, and knowledge-based interventions. The government also describes that reports of concern should be digitally searchable for easier follow-up, that children's rights and participation should be strengthened, and that social services should be able to offer early interventions to a greater extent.
This does not mean that every report is accurate or that you must accept incorrect information. On the contrary, your own documentation becomes more important: what the concern is about, what information has been registered, what the child has said, and how the social services have considered the child's best interests.
The time limits in the new law are your most important tools: protection assessment the same day, preliminary assessment within 14 days, investigation completed within four months, and information to you immediately when the investigation begins (Chapter 20, Sections 1–4). Since January 15, 2026, more authorities are required to report, including Försäkringskassan and Kronofogden. From January 1, 2027, the LVU is replaced by a new law on the care of children and young people. From January 2, 2027, the social welfare board can also decide on certain open interventions without consent.
See also the government's summary: New Social Services Act and transition.
FAQ
Do I have to attend the meeting?
You should normally participate, but you can request a support person, a break, more time, and written questions if the meeting becomes too difficult.
Will I know who made the report?
It depends on who reported. Schools, healthcare, and others reporting in their official capacity are normally not confidential to you. A private individual may be protected by confidentiality if the person risks violence or other serious harm (Chapter 26, Section 5 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act).
Can I request documents?
Yes. Ask what you can access during the investigation and request documents when possible. After the investigation is concluded, you should review the file carefully.
What do I do if the social services' notes are incorrect?
Request a correction or addition in writing. Specify exactly which information is incorrect and what you want to be added.
Can I record the meeting with social services?
Yes, if you are participating yourself. Use the recording to write accurate notes and follow up factually. See record meeting with authority.
What is the difference compared to an adult concern report?
Child cases can lead to LVU and have stronger protective measures. Adult concerns are handled differently. Read adult concern report.
When should I consider a JO report?
If the handling is unprofessional, you do not receive a response, or notes are not corrected. See JO report step by step.
Checklist before meeting with social services
- Write a timeline with dates (school, healthcare, police, personal contact with social services).
- Pack attachments: action plans, medical certificates, emails to school, absence statistics.
- Determine a main question: "What exactly are you investigating?"
- Book a support person or representative if the meeting feels overwhelming.
- Test recording app and battery.
- Prepare a follow-up email template on your phone.
For those reading under stress
The guide is intended as support when you already have a lot on your mind. You don't need to read everything at once: start with the section that matches where you are today and return when the next step becomes relevant.
Cases with authorities rarely improve if you handle everything alone. Ask for help from a support person, lawyer, or relative if you can – especially before decisions with long-term effects.
Common mistakes that make the case more difficult
- Relying only on verbal promises without brief written confirmation or follow-up email.
- Waiting to request documents until the conflict is already locked – then it becomes harder to show what was said.
- Writing so long and emotionally that the authority stops responding to the factual issue.
- Missing deadlines for reconsideration or appeal because the decision was not read verbatim.
Mini-checklist before you leave the guide
- Do I have the date, diary/case number, and name of the person handling it (if you know)?
- Do I know what the next step is: respond, request, remind, appeal, or report?
- Have I saved emails and attachments in a place where I can find them in a week?
Bonus (updated 2026): Privacy and rights against authorities 2026: what has changed?
