Report of Concern from School: Duty to Report, Police Report, and Your Rights

Last reviewed on October 5, 2026.

Choose track: I work in a school and need to report · The school has reported concerns about my child · The school has reported my child to the police · The school suspects domestic violence

The guide goes through what the Swedish National Agency for Education and the law require of the school, how a report of concern from the school is made, what happens with social services, and what you can do whether you are writing the report or have been reported. It is related to the overview report of concern about children: what happens and the guide when the school contacts social services, which deals with the actual meeting with the school.

The school's reporting obligation: what the law says

The reporting obligation is found in Chapter 19, Section 1 of the Social Services Act (2025:400), which has been in effect since July 1, 2025. It covers authorities and everyone working within activities according to the Education Act: preschool, preschool class, compulsory school, adapted compulsory school, after-school center, upper secondary school, and adult education. Teachers, principals, student health services, after-school staff, janitors, and meal staff are equally covered.

• The obligation is personal. Anyone who becomes aware or suspects must report. Schools often have routines where the principal or student health services write the report, but the routine does not remove the individual's responsibility if no one else acts.
• It applies immediately. The school should not wait, gather more examples, or investigate on its own. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has criticized schools that delayed reporting to first form their own opinion.
• No evidence is required. Suspicion is sufficient. It is the social services that investigate, not the school. Therefore, the school should not interrogate the child or the parents about the suspicions.
• The obligation takes precedence over confidentiality. The confidentiality of student health services and the school does not prevent a report of concern. When social services have initiated an investigation, the school is also obligated to provide all information that may be relevant (Chapter 20, Section 6 of the Social Services Act).
• The Education Act points to the same obligation. According to Chapter 29, Section 13 of the Education Act, the principal and employees must cooperate with the social welfare board on issues concerning children who are being harmed, with reference to the reporting obligation in the Social Services Act.

Private individuals, such as other parents at the school, have no obligation but should report according to Chapter 19, Section 4. Since January 15, 2026, more authorities are obligated to report, including Försäkringskassan, Arbetsförmedlingen, Kronofogden, and Skatteverket.

When should the school make a concern report?

The Swedish National Agency for Education's guidance is clear: it is sufficient to have concern or suspicion that the child is being harmed. The school should base this on its own observations. Typical situations:

• The child talks about violence, threats, abuse, or sexual assault at home or in their surroundings.
• Signs of neglect: recurring hunger, dirtiness, inappropriate clothing, untreated illness or toothache, the child is not picked up.
• High or unexplained absence that cannot be resolved together with the guardians. Absence in itself is not a crime but may be a sign that the child is being harmed.
• The child's own behavior: substance abuse, criminality, self-harm, the child disappearing or being in risky environments.
• Honor-related violence and oppression, risk of abduction, child marriage, or genital mutilation.
• Information about siblings or other children that emerges in conversations with the student. The obligation to report applies to all children the school becomes aware of, not just their own students.

If the staff is uncertain, they can consult with the social services without mentioning the child's name. The social services can also advise on what information should be provided to the guardians.

How the school makes a concern report in practice

1. Write the report in writing to the social services in the municipality where the child lives. In urgent situations, the school calls first and then supplements in writing. If there is a danger to the child's life or health: 112.
2. Describe observations, not conclusions. What the staff has seen and heard, when, how often, who was present, and what the child has said in their own words. Avoid diagnoses and assessments of the parents.
3. Report what the school has already done: conversations with guardians, support measures, contacts with student health services. This helps the social services assess the seriousness and makes the report harder to misunderstand.
4. Inform the guardians that a report is being made and why. This is the main rule and is best for continued cooperation. Exception: in cases of suspected violence, sexual abuse, or honor-related oppression at home, the school should not inform the parents in advance, as it may increase the risk to the child. In such cases, the social services will decide when and how the guardians are informed.
5. Request feedback. The social services may inform the reporter whether an investigation has been initiated, not initiated, or is already ongoing. If the school requests it, the response should come no later than one week after the decision on the preliminary assessment, unless it is inappropriate (Chapter 19, Section 6).
6. Offer a reporting meeting. The social services should offer the child, the guardians, and the reporter a joint meeting if it is suitable for the child (Chapter 19, Section 5). The meeting gives the parents the chance to hear the concerns directly from the school.

What happens at the social services after the school's report?

Step	What happens	Time limit
Immediate protection assessment	The social services assess whether the child needs immediate protection (Chapter 20, Section 1).	Immediately, the same day
Preliminary assessment	Decision on whether to initiate an investigation or not (Chapter 20, Section 2). The social services may speak with the reporter and the family but may not gather information from others.	14 days
Information to the family	Those concerned must be informed immediately that an investigation has been initiated, unless there are special reasons against it, such as suspicion of a crime against the child (Chapter 20, Section 4).	Immediately upon initiation of investigation
Investigation	Conversations with the child and parents, information from school and healthcare, sometimes home visits. The child may be heard without the guardian's consent (Chapter 20, Section 7).	4 months, can be extended for special reasons
Decision	Closure without intervention, voluntary support, or in serious cases, application for compulsory care.	At the end of the investigation

In 2024, approximately 514,000 reports of concern about children were made. Schools accounted for 17 percent, the police for 24 percent, and healthcare for 17 percent. Preschools accounted for 2 percent. About 54 percent of the reports were handled in an investigation. Read more in the statistics on reports of concern. How the investigation is conducted is described in SoL investigation: what it entails.

The school has reported my child: what do I do?

The most common mistake is to become defensive against the school. The report has been made, the school was obliged to make it, and it is now with the social services. Your energy is most useful there.

1. Request a written summary from the school of what the report is based on: which observations, which dates, and what the school has already tried. The school does not need to provide the actual report, but it is available with the social services.
2. Request the report from the social services. As a party in the case, you have the right to insight according to the Administrative Procedure Act. The report from the school is generally not confidential to you, as the staff reported in their official capacity. Information about private individuals who reported can, however, be redacted if they risk being subjected to violence or serious harm (Chapter 26, Section 5 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act). Use the template request for documents from social services.
3. Request the school's documentation: student records, action plans, documentation of absences, and notes from student health services. Template: request for student records. From January 1, 2027, the principle of public access will also apply to independent schools.
4. Attend the meeting, with a support person. Accept the invitation to the reporting meeting and to the social services' conversation. Bring a support person, record meetings you participate in and send a follow-up email the same day.
5. Respond to the facts, point by point. Confirm what is correct, correct what is wrong, and attach supporting documents: medical visits, absence reports, contact with BUP, certificates. The guide responding to a report of concern shows how.
6. Keep the child in school. School attendance is mandatory. Keeping the child at home after a report is rarely interpreted in your favor and can in itself become grounds for new concern.

Incorrect or exaggerated report of concern from the school

A report can be based on misunderstandings, conflicts with a teacher, or on the school not providing the support the child needs. What you can do is present your perspective in writing and ask the social services to document it. You cannot stop a report, and you cannot demand that the school retract it. What you can do is request a correction or note of incorrect information with the social services (template: request for correction) and follow up on the school's own responsibility for support, see the review of the school's deficiencies and reports of concern. If the handling by the social services is deficient, you can file a complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman. If you believe the school has violated the Education Act, you can report to the Swedish Schools Inspectorate.

If the school reports repeatedly without the social services initiating an investigation, it is a pattern worth documenting. Request each preliminary assessment in writing. Several concluded preliminary assessments speak in your favor, not against it.

Police report from the school: the principal's obligation since July 1, 2025

Previously, there was no statutory obligation for schools to report to the police. The Swedish National Agency for Education recommended reporting, but principals made different assessments. Since July 1, 2025, a new chapter in the Education Act applies, Chapter 6 a on security work for crime prevention purposes, with an explicit reporting obligation.

• Main rule (Chapter 6 a, Section 10): if it can be suspected that a crime has been committed by a student in connection with the activities, the principal must report the crime to the Police Authority, unless overriding reasons argue against it.
• Low evidence requirement. "Can be suspected" only requires some concrete circumstance supporting the suspicion. A report must be made even if it is not clear which student is suspected.
• In connection with the activities means a connection in time and place to the school or after-school center: the schoolyard, lessons, excursions, school trips, and similar activities.
• Which types of schools: preschool class, compulsory school, adapted compulsory school, special school, Sami school, after-school center, upper secondary school, adapted upper secondary school, and adult education. Preschool is not included.
• The exception requires an overall assessment. Trivial incidents on single occasions, such as graffiti on a bench or a shove without injury, may argue against reporting. The student's age and maturity should be considered. Repetition argues for reporting.
• Typically reported according to the preparatory works are assault, vandalism, theft, offensive photography, and unlawful invasion of privacy.
• Seized items such as knives, weapons, or drugs must be promptly reported by the principal to the police (Chapter 6 a, Section 8). The school is also allowed to search bags and lockers if there is suspicion of dangerous items (Chapter 6 a, Section 5).

The principal must also, since April 1, 2025, provide information to the police when requested and on their own initiative when the principal assesses that the information is needed for crime prevention, according to Section 7 of the Act (2025:170) on the obligation to provide information to law enforcement authorities. An interest assessment must always be made, but confidentiality does not prevent disclosure. The Swedish National Agency for Education's guidance is available at Swedish National Agency for Education: Obligation to report crimes.

If the school has reported your child to the police

A police report from the school does not mean that the child is convicted or even that an investigation is initiated. What happens depends on the child's age.

• Under 15 years: the child is not criminally responsible and cannot be prosecuted. However, the police can investigate according to Section 31 of the Act with Special Provisions on Young Offenders (LUL), especially in cases of serious crimes or at the request of social services. As a guardian, you must be notified and summoned for questioning. In more serious cases, the child should receive legal assistance. Social services always receive a report of concern in parallel.
• 14 years and serious crimes: since September 10, 2026, the age of criminal responsibility has been lowered to 14 years for serious crimes during a five-year period. This means that a 14-year-old can, in certain cases, be prosecuted. Request information on which track the police are pursuing.
• 15 to 17 years: preliminary investigation as for adults, but with the right to a public defender and with social services present during questioning. Read police questioning as a suspect and degrees of suspicion.
• Serious conversation from January 2, 2027: when the police inform social services that a child is suspected for the first time of a crime that can lead to imprisonment, social services must call for a serious conversation within 24 hours and hold it within 14 days, normally with the police present (Chapter 19a of the Social Services Act).

The school may not independently question the student in place of the police. However, the school may and should investigate the incident within its own safety work, inform guardians, and consider disciplinary actions according to Chapter 5 of the Education Act. Since August 1, 2026, every school must have school rules with a plan for consequences. The possibilities for relocation and suspension have simultaneously been strengthened. Suspension can be appealed to the administrative court. Do not confuse the school's disciplinary decisions with the police investigation: they are examined in different tracks and you can act in both.

When the school suspects a crime against the child

The principal's duty to report to the police applies to crimes by students. If the school suspects that the child is being subjected to a crime at home, such as abuse or sexual assault, a report of concern to social services is the primary track and should be made immediately. The school may also report crimes against children under 18 years according to Chapters 3, 4, or 6 of the Penal Code without hindrance of confidentiality (Chapter 10, Section 21 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act). The Swedish National Agency for Education encourages the school to consider this.

In these cases, social services normally consult with the police or prosecutor before informing the guardians about the investigation. This is why you as a parent sometimes learn about the report late. The child can be heard at a children's house with the support of a special representative, without you being present. This is a legally regulated procedure, not a sign that you are already judged. Read about children under 15 and police coercive measures if the police are involved. If social services talk about emergency placement, read immediate custody. From January 1, 2027, the LVU will be replaced by a new law on the custody for the care of children and young people; the grounds for compulsory care are adjusted but the idea of preliminary assessment and investigation remains the same.

Checklist for You as a Parent

• Ask the school for a written summary: observations, dates, what has already been tried.
• Request the report and preliminary assessment from social services.
• Request the student record, action plan, and attendance documentation from the school.
• Accept the invitation to the reporting meeting and conversation. Bring a support person. Record the meeting. Send a follow-up email.
• Respond in writing point by point with supporting documents. Correct errors.
• Do not outright refuse support. Ask for the proposal in writing.
• Keep the child in school and continue to cooperate with teachers and student health services.
• Document the timeline: when the report was made, whom you spoke with, what was decided.

Checklist for You Working in the School

• Report immediately upon knowledge or suspicion. Do not wait for evidence and do not investigate yourself.
• Write observations, not conclusions. Provide dates and the child's own words.
• Report the school's support measures and contacts with guardians.
• Inform the guardians, except in cases of suspected violence, abuse, or honor-related oppression at home.
• Consult with social services anonymously if you are unsure. Request feedback.
• In case of suspected crime by a student in connection with the activity: the principal reports to the police unless there are overriding reasons against it. Document the assessment.
• In case of suspected crime against the child: report concerns first, consider reporting to the police, do not inform the parents in advance.

Common Questions About Reports of Concern from the School

Must the school make a report of concern?

Yes. Everyone working in preschools, schools, and after-school centers is obligated to immediately report to social services upon knowledge or suspicion that a child is at risk (Chapter 19, Section 1 of the Social Services Act). No evidence is required, and the school should not investigate itself.

Must the school inform the parents that they have made a report of concern?

There is no statutory obligation, but the main rule according to Skolverket and Socialstyrelsen is that the school informs the guardians. Exceptions apply in cases of suspected violence, sexual abuse, or honor-related oppression at home. In such cases, social services inform when it is safe for the child.

May I read the school's report of concern?

Yes, generally. The report is with the social services, and you have the right to access it as a party. School staff who reported in their official capacity are normally not protected by confidentiality. Information about private individuals who reported may be redacted if they risk violence or serious harm.

Can I report the school for an incorrect report of concern?

A report made in good faith under the duty to report is not an error, even if the social services close the case. However, you can report the school to the Swedish Schools Inspectorate if the school has failed in support or treatment. If the social services' handling is deficient, you can report it to the Parliamentary Ombudsman (JO). Also, ensure that your perspective is documented with the social services.

Must the school report students to the police?

Yes, since July 1, 2025. If it can be suspected that a student has committed a crime in connection with the school's activities, the principal must report it to the police, unless there are overriding reasons against it (Chapter 6a, Section 10 of the Education Act). Trivial incidents on isolated occasions can be exempted after an overall assessment.

Can the school report a child under 15 years old to the police?

Yes. The duty to report applies regardless of age. Children under 15 cannot be prosecuted, but the police can investigate under Section 31 of the Young Offenders Act (LUL), and social services are always involved. Since September 10, 2026, 14-year-olds can be prosecuted for serious crimes.

What is the difference between a report of concern and a police report?

A report of concern goes to the social services and concerns the child's need for protection or support. A police report goes to the police and concerns a suspected crime. The school often makes both simultaneously when a student is suspected of a crime.

How long does it take before the social services contact you?

The social services must make a protection assessment the same day and decide within 14 days whether an investigation should be initiated. If an investigation is initiated, you should be informed immediately, unless there are special reasons against it. The investigation should be completed within four months.

Can the school make a report of concern due to absenteeism?

Yes. High or unexplained absenteeism that the school cannot resolve together with the guardians is a common reason for reporting. The school must first investigate the absenteeism and offer support, but the duty to report applies as soon as there is suspicion that the child is at risk.

May the school talk to my child about home conditions without asking me?

The school may listen to what the child says and ask follow-up questions in their regular contact with the student. The school should not conduct its own investigative interviews. During the social services' investigation, the child may be heard without the guardian's consent and without you being present (Chapter 20, Section 7 of the Social Services Act).

What happens to the report if the social services do not initiate an investigation?

The decision not to initiate an investigation is documented. The report is retained by the social services according to current archiving rules and may be considered if new reports are received. Request the decision and verify that your perspective is included.

More about concern reports

• Concern report for children: what happens when social services receive a report
• Addressing a concern report step by step
• SoL investigation: what it entails
• Home visit: checklist and answers
• Concern report for adults: how to report and what happens
• Concern report for an elderly person
• When the school contacts social services: the meeting with the school
• Statistics: concern reports about children
• LVU: what the law entails and how the process works

Sources

• Social Services Act (2025:400), Chapter 19, Chapter 19a, and Chapter 20
• Education Act (2010:800), Chapter 5, Chapter 6a, and Chapter 29, Section 13
• Act (2025:170) on the obligation to provide information to law enforcement authorities
• Swedish National Agency for Education: Reporting concern for a child to social services
• Swedish National Agency for Education: Obligation to report crimes
• National Board of Health and Welfare: Reporting to social services upon knowledge or suspicion that a child is at risk
• National Board of Health and Welfare: Reports of children at risk 2024 (published May 2026)
• Government Bill 2025/26:193 Better conditions for safety and study peace in schools