This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
You are here: 1/8 in the series Concern report to social services: your step-by-step guide
Last reviewed October 5, 2026.
A concern report about a child means that someone has provided information to social services that a child may be in danger or at risk of harm. Social services must immediately assess whether the child needs immediate protection and decide within 14 days whether an investigation should be initiated. This does not automatically mean that the report is true, that you have done something wrong, or that the child will be taken into care.
Choose track: I want to make a concern report · My child has been reported · The report came from the school · My rights
The guide is aimed at parents searching for concern report to social services, concern report social services or what happens with a concern report. It is also for those considering making a report. Continue the series: scenarios and questions, report to social services: how to respond factually, SoL investigation. Has social services started talking about compulsory care: what LVU means, immediate custody and custodians' rights under LVU. If the concern is about an adult, read concern report adult.
Concern report about children and concern report about adults
| Child | Adult | |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory reporting | Yes, for school, preschool, healthcare, police, and many authorities (Chapter 19, Section 1 of the Social Services Act) | No, except for LVM reports from authorities and doctors |
| Time limits | Protection assessment immediately, preliminary assessment 14 days, investigation 4 months | No specific time limits |
| Compulsion | LVU may become relevant | Other regulations: LVM, LPT in case of serious danger |
| Reporter | Police 24%, school 17%, healthcare 17% (2024) | Relatives, neighbors, healthcare (voluntary) |
What is a report of concern?
A report of concern is information provided to social services indicating that a child may be at risk, see Socialstyrelsen's guidance. The rules are found in Chapter 19 of the Social Services Act (2025:400), which has been in effect since July 1, 2025. Schools, preschools, healthcare, dental care, police, and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service have a duty to report. Since January 15, 2026, this duty also applies to Försäkringskassan, Arbetsförmedlingen, the Enforcement Authority, the Swedish Tax Agency, the Swedish Customs, the Coast Guard, and the county administrative boards. Private individuals should report according to Chapter 19, Section 4, but are not obligated to do so.
The report should include what the concern is about, why it exists, and any available contact information. It does not need to be proven, but it should be sufficiently concrete for social services to assess whether follow-up is needed.
Do you want to make a report of concern about a child yourself?
You do not need to be certain that the child is at risk. Suspicion is sufficient. It is the social services that investigate. Here's how you do it:
- Contact the social services in the child's home municipality. Most municipalities have an e-service for reports of concern and a reception unit for children and young people. Evenings and weekends: social emergency service. In case of immediate danger: 112.
- Describe what you have seen or heard. Dates, specific events, what the child has said in their own words, and how often it has happened. Avoid guessing about diagnoses and drawing conclusions about the parents.
- Decide if you want to remain anonymous. As a private individual, you can report without giving your name, but state this before introducing yourself. A name you have already provided cannot be removed. Anonymous reports are more difficult for social services to follow up on.
- Request feedback. Social services may inform you if an investigation has been initiated, not initiated, or is already ongoing. Professional reporters have the right to this information within a week if they request it (Chapter 19, Section 6). Private individuals typically do not receive feedback due to confidentiality.
If you work in preschool, school, or healthcare, special rules apply regarding how and when you should report. Read report of concern from school: duty to report and police report. If the concern involves an adult or an elderly person, read report of concern adult and report of concern elderly person.
Report of concern from school, preschool, or child health center
Staff in schools, preschools, after-school centers, and healthcare are obligated to report immediately when they suspect a child is at risk. No evidence is required, and the school should not investigate on its own. This does not mean they consider you a bad parent. You can request which observation led to the report and compare it with the school's documentation (action plans, student health meetings). 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, including when the school may refrain from informing the parents, is found in report of concern from school. The actual meeting with the school is described in when the school contacts social services. The section on incorrect reports of concern is found in respond to report of concern.
What happens after a report of concern to the social services?
The time limits are stipulated in Chapter 20 of the Social Services Act. Request dates for each step and write them down.
| Step | What happens | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate protection assessment | The social services immediately assess whether the child needs immediate protection (Chapter 20, Section 1). | Same day |
| Preliminary assessment | Decision on whether to initiate an investigation (Chapter 20, Section 2). The social services may speak with you, the child, and the reporter, but may not gather information from others. | 14 days from the report's receipt |
| Reporting meeting | The social services should offer you, the child, and the reporter a meeting if it is appropriate for the child (Chapter 19, Section 5). Accept; it is often the first time you hear the concerns directly. | During the preliminary assessment |
| Information to you | If an investigation is initiated, you should be informed immediately, unless there are special reasons against it, such as suspicion of a crime against the child (Chapter 20, Section 4). | Immediately |
| Investigation | Conversations with you and the child, information from school and healthcare, sometimes home visits. The child may be heard without your consent (Chapter 20, Section 7). | Completed within 4 months, extension only for special reasons (Chapter 20, Section 3) |
| Decision | Closure without intervention, voluntary support according to the Social Services Act, or, in serious cases, application for compulsory care. | At the end of the investigation |
The social services must work in the best interest of the child, but you have the right to clarity, documentation, and to respond to the information. If the investigation extends beyond four months without a decision on extension, request the decision in writing. Read our review on documentation deficiencies when children are waiting if the process is prolonged.
When a report of concern becomes an LVU issue
A report of concern and a SoL investigation are not in themselves LVU. However, if the social welfare board considers there is a significant risk to the child and that necessary care cannot be provided voluntarily, the board may apply for LVU care. In cases of acute risk, an immediate custody according to Section 6 LVU can be decided before the regular court process is completed.
Then ask to know if the social services are considering Section 2 LVU (home environment) or Section 3 LVU (the young person's own behavior), what specific risk is cited, and what care is claimed cannot be provided voluntarily. The Riksdag decided in August 2026 that from January 1, 2027, LVU will be replaced by a new law on the custody for the care of children and young people. The grounds are adjusted and the child's right to public counsel is strengthened, but the order of preliminary assessment, investigation, and court review remains. From January 2, 2027, the social welfare board can also decide on certain open interventions for children and parents without consent.
Parents' rights from day one
- Right to information about what the investigation concerns to a sufficient degree to be able to respond, as well as party insight according to Section 10 of the Administrative Procedure Act.
- Right to a support person/representative: see bring a support person to an authority meeting.
- Right to record meetings you participate in: see record a meeting with an authority.
- Right to request documents and records: see request authority documents.
- Right to request correction if notes are incorrect: see corrections in the social services investigation.
Common questions about the reporter
Can you find out who made the report of concern? It depends on who reported. Schools, healthcare, and others reporting in their professional capacity are normally not confidential to you. Private individuals can be protected by confidentiality if they risk being exposed to violence or other serious harm (Chapter 26, Section 5 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act). You should always be informed about what the concern is about.
How serious is a report of concern? It is serious as a signal, but not a verdict. The assessment comes after an investigation. Approximately half of all reports lead to an investigation.
How long does a report of concern remain? Information remains in records according to the retention rules in Chapter 16 of the Social Services Act. Request and check what has been documented. Ask for your perspective to be noted if something is incorrect.
Can you decline an investigation? You can decline a conversation, but the social services may determine that an investigation is still necessary if the child's situation requires it. The child can be heard without your consent.
Statistics in perspective
In 2024, approximately 514,000 reports of concern were made involving 233,000 children, just over one in ten children in Sweden. The police accounted for 24 percent of the reports, schools for 17 percent, and healthcare for 17 percent. About 54 percent of the reports were handled in an investigation; full-time care is significantly less common. Read statistics on reports of concern and see graphs on the statistics page.
