Based on Samfunnskunnskapsprøven syllabus. Here are the key points from topic: Children and family
Families
- Around 60,000 children are born in Norway every year.
- Women living in Norway have around 1.5 children each on average.
- Three out of four children live with both parents, while one out of four lives with either one parent or together with one parent and their new spouse.
- There are various types of couples in Norway, including young couples with children, gay couples, and older couples with a father and daughter.
- Three out of four couples who live together are married, while the remaining 25% are unmarried.
- The average age for getting married for the first time is over 30 for both men and women in Norway, and many people live together for several years before marrying.
- Around 10,000 married couples get divorced every year in Norway.
- There are many people living alone in Norway, some of whom have family living elsewhere.
- A household in Norway consists of people who live together and have joint finances, and on average, just over two people live in a household today.
Childhood and the Children and Parents Act
- The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has 42 articles that describe the rights of all children. It was adopted in 1989 and ratified by Norway in 1991.
- In Norway, the Children Act applies to children and young people under 18 years of age.
- The Children Act contains provisions on parents’ duties in relation to their children and children’s rights in relation to their parents.
- When a child is born, the doctor or midwife must report the birth to the National Population Register.
- Parents have primary responsibility for their children and the children have the right to parental care and concern.
- It is the responsibility of the parents to provide for their children until the child reaches the age of 18, including supporting them until they complete upper secondary school.
- Parents are required to provide their children with a good upbringing and always act in the interest and needs of the child. The use of violence in child raising is forbidden and is a criminal offence.
- Parents have the right and obligation to make decisions regarding their child in personal matters when the child is unable to make his or her own decision.
- Children have the right to give their opinion on personal matters, with increasing importance attached to their opinion as they grow older.
- A 15-year-old child has the right to make decisions regarding education and to join and resign from organizations.
- Parents are required to ensure that the child attends (compulsory) primary and secondary school and receives an education that suits their abilities and interests.
- Children have the right to spend time with both parents, even when the parents live apart.
- The age of majority(adult) in Norway is 18 years.
- The Child Welfare Service was established in Norway in the 19th century to help vulnerable children in need of extra help and protection.
- There is a Child Welfare Service in every municipality, and its work is regulated by the Child Welfare Act which applies to all children and young people in Norway, regardless of their background, nationality or citizenship.
- Caring for and bringing up a child is primarily the responsibility of the parents, but the Child Welfare Service can provide help for short or long periods to families who are in difficult life situations.
- The Child Welfare Service’s main responsibility is to provide help that is in the best interests of the child, in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is also part of Norwegian law.
- The Child Welfare Service must listen to the child’s opinions and give them due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child, in line with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- The Child Welfare Service provides help and support to families, which can take the form of advice and guidance or help to participate in leisure activities, kindergarten or an after-school programme (SFO/AKS).
- In some cases, the family may need more extensive support, and the Child Welfare Service may agree with the parents that a child needs to move out of the home for a short or longer period.
- The Child Welfare Service must try assistance measures before considering taking a child into care, and only in severe cases such as neglect or violence against a child, the Child Welfare Service may place the child outside the home without the consent of the parents.
- Many child welfare cases begin with the parents or the child contacting the Child Welfare Service themselves to ask for help, and all reports received by the Child Welfare Service are given consideration.
- Both children and adults can contact the Child Welfare Service during office hours, and there is an emergency phone service for children and young people (phone number: 116 111) for after-hours.
- Child benefit is financial support paid for all children under 18 years of age who are resident in Norway.
- The cash-for-care benefit is financial aid given to parents for children between the ages of one and two who do not attend kindergarten.
Child raising
- Children are dependent on their parents and parents have primary responsibility for their children and for raising them
- In the past, children were considered ‘small adults’ and often had to work to contribute to the family’s income
- Nowadays, most children grow up in a nuclear family and attend kindergarten and school from the age of six
- Childhood is a time for play and learning, and parents want to spend much time together with their children and to learn as much as possible about what takes place in their child’s life
- Good cooperation between home and school or kindergarten is important, and most parents also feel it is important to know their child’s friends and the friends’ parents
- Children are influenced by society and their community and no parents have complete control over how their children develop
- Nonetheless, parents wish to be good role models and show their children how to behave and respond in different situations
- Many parents feel that raising a child can be difficult at times, but they can get advice from professionals, read books about special issues, and find information online.
Education and Housing
- All children in Norway have the right and obligation to ten years of schooling.
- Young people also have the right to upper secondary education.(no obligation)
- School education takes place in cooperation and understanding with the home (parents).
- Parents have primary responsibility for their children and therefore have both the right and obligation to participate and have a say in their education.
- Over two million homes are present in Norway, with more than half of them being detached houses.
- In big cities like Oslo, 70 percent of homes are located in apartment buildings and blocks of flats.
- Smaller municipalities often have up to 90 percent detached houses.
- Around 25 percent of the population rents their home, while the rest own it.
- There are two types of home ownership in Norway: owner-occupier or ownership through a housing cooperative or limited liability company.
- Almost every home in Norway has its own bathroom and kitchen.
- Over 90 percent of homes in Norway use electricity for heating, while some also use firewood or oil.
- Around one-third of Norwegian household income is spent on home-related expenses, while the average household uses only eleven percent of their budget on food.
Equal opportunity
- Families have the freedom to choose how they organize their lives and tasks in Norway.
- Equality and equal opportunity are important values in Norwegian society that are incorporated into laws and rights.
- The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act, the Marriage Act, and the Inheritance Act are examples of laws that promote equality.
- Society believes that all people are inherently equal regardless of gender, age, ability, cultural background, ethnic original, or sexual orientation.
- Norway works to provide equal opportunities based on abilities, such as special education for students with disabilities and Norwegian language instruction for immigrants.
- There is a principle of equal pay for equal work in Norway.
- Attitudes towards men and women’s tasks and roles have changed in both public and home/family life in recent decades.
- Women’s rights and opportunities in education and the labor market came into focus in the 1970s in Norway.
- Almost as many women as men are in employment in Norway, but there are still typical men’s and women’s jobs.
- More women choose to study education and care, while more men study technology and science.
- Despite making up almost half of the workforce, two out of three executives are still men in Norway.
- Nowadays, it is common for men and women in young families to share household and child-raising chores.
- The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act in Norway promotes equality, women’s rights, and prevents discrimination in all areas of social life. The Act mandates that the government actively pursue equal opportunities in education, employment, and cultural and professional development.
- Employers and business organizations are instructed to work towards achieving equality in the workplace and organizational life.
Marriage rights and obligations
- The Marriage Act in Norway states that anyone over the age of 18 and legally residing in Norway can enter into marriage.
- All marriages must be voluntary, and both men and women have the same right to choose their marriage partner.
- Forced marriage using violence, coercion, deprivation of liberty or threats is punishable by law with imprisonment for up to six years.
- A person can seek separation from their spouse, and after one year of separation, they can apply for a divorce. If the couple has been living apart for two years, they can also apply for a divorce without separation.
- Both men and women have the same right to seek separation and apply for a divorce.
- A spouse can demand a divorce without separation if the other spouse has attempted to kill them, their children, or been violent towards them or severely abused them.
- Spouses share responsibility to provide for and care for the family
- They share economic responsibility and are responsible for all necessary work to ensure family well-being
- Spouses can contribute in different ways, such as earning an income, working in the home, watching the children, or other ways
- A spouse can demand payment by the other spouse to cover necessary expenses in some cases
- Spouses are required to provide each other with financial information, according to Section § 39 of the Marriage Act
- Everything owned by a person before getting married is still owned by that person after getting married
- All inheritances and gifts received after getting married and personal purchases are owned by that individual
- Property owned can be sold or given away without the other spouse’s permission
- Everything purchased by the couple together or for the home is owned by the couple
- The Marriage Act regulates issues relating to marriage
- Cohabitants do not have the same rights and obligations in relation to each other as married couples do, so cohabitants should make a cohabitation agreement.
The right to decide over one’s own life
- Violence is prohibited by law in Norway, including violence in the family, between a boyfriend and girlfriend, between people living together, and between spouses.
- The use of physical punishment in child rearing, genital mutilation, and forced marriage are considered acts of violence.
- Violence is any act that inflicts injury, pain or fear on another person, and can be physical or psychological.
- Domestic violence means that the abuser and the victim are related to each other.
- There are different types of residence permits available to those who have been subjected to physical or psychological violence, and interested individuals can contact the UDI or police to find out if they qualify.
- For more information about violence in close relationships, individuals can visit www.kompetansenorge.no/vold.
