This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
Short answer: “LVU at home” typically means that the social welfare committee, under the authority of Section 11 of the LVU, has allowed the young person to remain in their own home during ongoing LVU care. However, the care must always begin outside the home. The LVU decision and the responsibility of the social welfare committee remain in place.
LVU at home is not voluntary SoL care
Even when the child is at home, the court's decision on LVU care applies. The social welfare committee decides how the care is organized and, to the extent necessary, determines the young person's personal circumstances. It is therefore not the same legal situation as when the family receives a completely voluntary intervention.
Three different situations that are often confused
| Situation | Legal basis | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary help at home | Social Services Act | The intervention is normally based on consent. |
| LVU care with residence at home | Section 11 LVU | LVU care continues but the child is allowed to stay at home. |
| “Intermediate coercion” | Section 22 LVU | Contact person or outpatient treatment without consent for certain behavioral risks; not a common decision on LVU care/placement. |
Since July 1, 2026, Section 22 can also be applied to a person under 20 years who has been sentenced to prison and upon conditional release is in obvious need of interventions to prevent continued risk behavior. Older rules apply to decisions regarding those sentenced to closed youth care.
Section 11 LVU: rules for LVU at home
The rule is found in Section 11, second paragraph of the LVU. The social welfare committee may allow the young person to stay in their own home if it is deemed best suited to promote the care. However, the care must always have started outside the home. The decision means that LVU continues, not that the coercion is over.
When can the social welfare committee allow residence at home?
The committee may allow it if the home residence is deemed best suited to promote the care. The assessment should be based on the child's needs, the risk that led to the LVU, and how the care can be implemented and followed up at home.
Request written answers on:
- which goals must be met for the home residence to continue,
- which treatments, contacts, or controls are included,
- how school, health care, and leisure will function,
- what happens if part of the plan does not work,
- when the decision and care needs are reviewed.
Can the child be moved from the home again?
Yes. The social welfare committee decides according to Section 11 how the care should be organized and where the child should reside. A decision regarding moving the young person from the home where they are staying can be appealed according to Section 41 of the LVU. Even a later placement decision that involves continued placement in the same emergency or foster home is appealable. Always request a written decision and appeal reference if the committee decides that the home residence should end and the child should be moved.
Follow-up under LVU at home
The Social Welfare Committee must closely monitor the care. This includes contact with the child and guardians, as well as attention to health, development, social behavior, schooling, and relationships. For care according to Section 2, the committee must consider at least every six months whether the care is still needed. For Section 3, the issue of termination must be reviewed within six months from the day the care decision was implemented and thereafter within six months from the latest review.
Before each follow-up, compile:
- what the care plan required and what has been implemented,
- independent documentation from school, healthcare, or treatment,
- the child's own view on everyday life and support,
- remaining problems and a concrete plan for them,
- any errors in the social services' latest summary.
Compensation for LVU at home
A fee and expense compensation are paid to the foster home assigned to receive the child. The guardian does not receive this compensation just because the child is staying in their own home. The parent has a duty to support their child. If finances are insufficient, you can apply for maintenance support. The child allowance follows the child: ask Försäkringskassan and the Social Welfare Committee for a written statement on who the allowance is paid to during the home stay.
The obligation to contribute to the municipality's cost applies when the child receives care in a home other than their own, according to Chapter 32, Section 3 of the Social Services Act (2025:400). The amount is determined according to Chapter 17, Section 3 of the Social Services Ordinance (2025:468) and must not exceed the maintenance support amount. When the child is staying in their own home, the condition of “another home” is not met. Request a new written fee decision if a parental fee is still being deducted.
Request for return home
A request for return home is a written request for the child to be allowed to come home. It can concern two different decisions: that LVU care should cease, or that the child should stay at home according to Section 11 while LVU continues. Request a formal decision on the specific issue you are raising. If you want the care to end, read terminate an LVU.
How to build a case for care to cease
Under Section 2 of LVU, it is required that the circumstances that led to the care have changed in a lasting and profound way. Therefore, demonstrate stability over time, not just a short period without incidents. Link each change to the original risk found by the court.
Under Section 3, the focus is on whether the young person's risk behavior and care needs persist. Everyday life, treatment, drug-free status, schooling or other occupation, and a sustainable support network may be relevant depending on the goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can LVU start at home?
No. According to Section 11, care must always begin outside the home.
Does the social services have control over the family's entire life?
No. The authority to decide applies to the extent necessary to implement the care. Ask the authority to specify the legal basis and purpose for specific requirements.
Can the decision on new placement be appealed?
Decisions on where care should begin and decisions regarding moving from a home are appealable. This also applies to certain decisions about continued placement in the same home. Follow the instructions in the decision.
Does the parent receive compensation for LVU at home?
No, not the foster home's fee and expenses. That compensation goes to the contractor. The duty to support, child allowance, and any parental fee are separate issues. Request written statements.
Sources and related guides
Last fact-checked: September 26, 2026.
