This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
Brief answer: “LVU at home” typically means that the social welfare committee, under the support 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.
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 may, to the extent necessary, determine 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 juvenile care.
When can the social welfare committee permit residence at home?
The committee may permit it if the home residence is deemed most suitable 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 monitored 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, healthcare, and leisure should 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 arranged and where the child should reside. A decision regarding moving the young person from the home where he or she resides can be appealed according to Section 41 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 cease and the child should be moved.
Follow-up under LVU at home
The Social Welfare Board must closely monitor the care. This includes, among other things, contact with the child and the guardians, as well as attention to health, development, social behavior, schooling, and relationships. For care according to Section 2, the board 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 most recent 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.
How to build a basis for the termination of care
Under Section 2 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 that the court found.
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 begin at home?
No. According to Section 11, care must always commence outside the home.
Does social services have control over the entire life of the family?
No. The authority to decide applies to the extent necessary to implement the care. Request the authority to specify the legal basis and purpose for specific demands.
Can the decision on a new placement be appealed?
Decisions on where care should commence and decisions regarding relocation from a home are appealable. This also applies to certain decisions about continued placement in the same home. Follow the instructions in the decision.
Sources and related guides
Last fact-checked: July 29, 2026.
