SOL is the basic legal framework of social services.
A child can be placed outside of the home under the SOL framework, meaning the child is placed “voluntarily” or under LVU, forced child care, where the parents do not agree with the placement.
Differences between SOL & LVU placement
SOL placement
In a SOL placement, “frivilligt” or voluntary placement takes place.
For this to happen the parent has to agree with the placement of the child outside the home and the parent/guardian has to acknowledge the shortcomings in their parenting ability in some capacity.
The social services, in my experience, often try to convince the parents to agree to a SOL placement when they do not have enough evidence to get through an LVU.
The social services argue that you will have a lot of say about the placement and that you will also be able to finish the SOL placement to get your children home, once you have improved.
They also promise you help and support to make those improvements. Sadly, once the children are out of the home you rarely get the support needed.
With a “frivilligt” placement, you waive the right to have your case reviewed in court. With a SOL placement agreement, you also waive the right to a state-paid lawyer and you also waive the right to request a review and take home request every six months.
Additionally, every time you want to end the SOL placement, they can threaten you with an LVU!
LVU placement
There are definitely advantages with an LVU placement: you get your case legally tried, you get a legal representative paid by the state and you can request a repatriation (hemtagningsbegäran) every six months. Under LVU, a child of 15 years and over can do a hemtagningsbegäran themself too.
If you opt for LVU you will be seen as uncooperative and that will go against you in court (not that it really matters because the courts rule with social services 95% of the time).
Psychologically, both for you and your children, take an LVU!
With an LVU you also force the social services to ensure that they help you strengthening your parenting ability and at each take-home request, you can make it more difficult for the social services to motivate why an LVU should remain.
BUT, both these paths are long and hard for all involved.
To be successful in taking children home you need to (or have people around to help) understand the social services processes and the laws. You need to have people ready to support you, come to meetings, review emails and other documents with you.
Once children are removed, do not expect to be able to work (full-time). To get children home is a full-time job!
By Ahmad Al-Mughrabi – studied law for two years, interpreter. Ahmad has worked for the past 17 years with people in vulnerable situations such as the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and the Swedish Migration Board; Worked as an interpreter and has been behind closed doors at the social services, witnessed the injustice and abuse of power, first hand.