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The Ombudsman for Children and the Ombudsman for Gender Equality and Discrimination respond to the situation of these children. Many have lost services in kindergarten, school and leisure, municipal health and care services and special health services, and have not yet recovered them.
The Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education and Research and several other ministries have been notified. It includes between 8 and 9 per cent of Norwegian school-age children who are not yet receiving its services and regulatory measures.
– I am surprised that the authorities have not dealt with this sooner, despite repeated warnings from us and others, says equality and discrimination ombud Hanne Bjurstrøm.
– Children and families in need of support from various public services have experienced the support system collapsing overnight. It can have serious consequences for the health and development of children, says infant ombud Inga Bejer Engh.
Has notified
The two ombudsmen describe that schooling, home care, user-controlled personal assistant, physical therapist, parenting services, therapies and other important health care disappeared along with infection control measures. . Neither have alternative offers been configured.
– We have told the authorities since the pandemic began that we must pay more attention to these children, says Bjurstrøm, but still the authorities have not done what they should to care for disabled children.
The coordination group that will monitor the situation of children and young people in vulnerable situations, writes in the latest reports that the situation continues to be serious and that the responsible sectors must follow up. The group is led by the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family (Bufdir).
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Disabled children and families in need of support from various public services have experienced the support system collapsing overnight. It can have serious consequences for the health and development of children, says infant ombud Inga Bejer Engh. Photo: Thomas Brun / NTB
Isolated since March
User organizations also say there are reduced offers and services for children. Among them is the Joint Organization of the Disabled (FFO), which says that many people experience a deterioration in functional level and physical and mental health status, mainly due to reduced offers of treatment, therapy and exercise.
– Children have been in isolation at home since March, writes FFO in a recent report.
There is talk of lonely and isolated people, there are also children and young people with disabilities who have been exposed to violence and abuse. Furthermore, the report warns that disabled children and youth have lost special education and are struggling to pursue digital education.
– It is a problem that municipal services for the disabled are not at the level they were before the pandemic. The result is that children and youth with disabilities are still not receiving services and regulatory measures, the organization writes.
Must check
The Ombudsman for Children and the Ombudsman for Gender Equality and Discrimination have a large number of recommendations for ministries that they ask them to address.
The most important thing is to get information to, among others, municipalities and health services that must prioritize disabled children. What services children actually receive should also be monitored.
– Necessary and allocated resources from the state budget should also be provided to protect and strengthen the provision of schools and services for disabled children and youth during the corona pandemic, and in the future, ombudsmen recommend.
