This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
Brief answer: You are normally still the guardian when the child is cared for under LVU, but the social welfare board assumes the decision-making authority necessary to implement the care. You have the right to legal support, participation, relevant information, and to appeal several central decisions.
Your most important rights at the beginning
- Public counsel: in cases concerning LVU care, emergency custody, and termination, counsel is normally appointed and paid for by the state. The same usually applies when appealing decisions about where the care should begin or decisions regarding relocation.
- Separate counsel in case of conflict of interest: the child and the guardian should not have the same counsel if their interests conflict.
- Interpreter: social services and the court must use an interpreter when needed, and important documents must be made understandable.
- Party insight and communication: you should be able to understand and respond to the material used in the case, with possible confidentiality restrictions in certain parts.
- Oral hearing: you may present your view and answer questions in court.
- Appeal: the judgment and several decisions regarding placement, relocation, contact, and undisclosed location can be appealed.
You are still the guardian – but the right to make decisions changes
The LVU does not automatically revoke guardianship. However, the social welfare board decides how the care should be arranged and where the child should reside. The board or the person to whom the board has delegated the care may, to the extent necessary to implement the care, decide on the young person's personal circumstances. This can, for example, affect housing, daily life, certain healthcare issues, and visitation.
Request a written overview of which decisions the social welfare board considers it has taken over and who makes practical decisions in school, healthcare, and travel.
Right to receive information and read notes
IVO describes that guardians have the right to receive information about how the child is doing and to read notes, taking into account any applicable confidentiality rules. If something is incorrect, you have the right to express your opinion and have it noted and considered.
Work in writing:
- request medical records and current plans,
- mark the exact date and wording that is incorrect,
- explain what is correct and attach support,
- request that the objection be recorded even if the original note is not removed.
See request documents and corrections in the social services' investigation.
Right to participate in the process
Guardians are in most cases given the opportunity to participate when the social welfare committee considers the issue of applying for LVU. In court, an oral hearing is normally held. Prepare with the counsel:
- which circumstances you admit or contest,
- what risk the social welfare committee alleges and how you counter it,
- which voluntary or less intrusive measures are realistic,
- which evidence will be submitted and what each piece of evidence should prove,
- what you want the court to decide.
You do not need to win every side issue. Prioritize what affects the legal requirements: the basis, the significant risk, and the possibility of providing necessary care voluntarily.
Right to contact and visitation
The Social Welfare Committee is responsible for ensuring that the child's need for contact with parents and guardians is met as far as possible. The child's best interests and own position are central. If necessary for the purpose of care, the committee may, according to Section 14, regulate visitation with a guardian and with a parent whose visitation rights have been regulated by judgment, court decision, or agreement, or decide that the place of residence should not be disclosed.
Request a concrete plan with frequency, form, possible supervision, phone/video contact, travel, and dates for follow-up. A formal restriction decision should be considered at least every three months and can be appealed. Read the specialized guide.
Right to appeal placement and relocation
The Social Welfare Committee's decision on where care should begin and decisions regarding moving the child from the home where the child resides can be appealed. This also applies to placement decisions during an immediate custody. According to HFD 2026 ref. 12, a later placement decision that involves continued placement in the same emergency or foster home is also appealable.
The appeal should specify:
- which decision is being appealed,
- what change you want,
- why the current placement is not compatible with the child's needs or proportionality,
- what concrete alternatives exist,
- which documents support your request.
Support during placement
The social services must follow the child through visits and conversations and maintain contact with the guardians. You can request support to manage the situation, parental support, and support before contact with the child. Document what you have requested, what has been offered, and why an intervention was possibly declined.
What you do not automatically decide
You cannot unilaterally demand a specific placement, unlimited contact, or that the care should cease. However, you can request formal decisions, provide documentation, propose alternatives, and use the appeal process. IVO can review deficiencies but cannot change a decision made by the social welfare committee or the court.
Checklist before meeting with social services
- What is the purpose of the meeting and what decisions can be made?
- What care plan and goals are currently in effect?
- How is the child's development measured and when is the plan followed up?
- What information do you receive from school, healthcare, and placement?
- What does the contact plan look like and is there a formal restriction decision?
- What needs to change for a return home or less intrusive care?
- Who is responsible for the next action and what is the applicable date?
Sources and Next Steps
- LVU Hub
- LVU in Administrative Court
- IVO: Guardians of Placed Child
- Socialstyrelsen: Information for Guardians
- LVU, specifically Sections 11, 13–14, 36, 39, and 41
Last fact-checked: July 29, 2026.
