Children placed in alternate care in Norway: A review of mental health needs and current official measures to meet them.

Abstract

Children and youth placed in alternate care have often suffered detrimental care conditions before placement and the rupture of attachment bonds both before and during alternate care. In this article, we review the knowledge base on the prevalence of mental disorders, and access to mental health services, of children and youth in alternate care in Norway. Due to the increasing knowledge of this group's needs, official measures are now taken to improve service provision and cooperation between types and levels of services for children and youth in alternate care. We review the recent Norwegian official reports aiming to improve access to mental health services for children placed in alternate care and discuss their recommendations in light of empirical findings from our own research.