Child protection lawyers in Iceland

Child protection law governs how the authorities step in when a child's safety, health or development is at risk. It covers support measures for families, placement of children outside the home, foster care and the rights of parents and children while a case is ongoing.

The legal framework

The main law is the Child Protection Act No. 80/2002 (barnaverndarlög). Cases are handled by the child protection services of each municipality, while the National Agency for Children and Families (Barna- og fjölskyldustofa) supervises and supports their work. Iceland has also incorporated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its law.

How a case usually develops

• A notification (tilkynning) from a school, the police, a health professional or a private person leads the child protection service to examine the child's situation.
• The first step is normally support measures agreed with the parents, such as counselling, family support or treatment.
• Measures against the parents' will, such as placing a child outside the home, require a formal decision. Longer placements and the removal of custody must be decided by a court.

Rights of parents and children

Parents have the right to be informed, to see the documents in their case, to express their views before a decision is taken and to appeal. Children have the right to be heard according to their age and maturity, and in some cases a spokesperson is appointed for the child.

Parents are often entitled to have legal costs covered in child protection cases, particularly when measures are taken against their will. Ask the child protection service or a lawyer about this at the start.

When to contact a child protection lawyer

Contact a lawyer as soon as a child protection case is opened that you disagree with, before you sign a plan or agreement, if a placement outside the home is being considered, or if you want to appeal a decision. Foreign parents should ask for an interpreter and make sure they understand every document they are asked to sign.