NEW ARTICLE: Professors Marit Skivenes, Jill D. Berrick, and Postdoctoral Fellow Hege Stein Helland have published a new article titled “Public rights orientations and views on long-term care options for children in the child protection system: An analysis of representative samples of adults in California, USA and Norway.” The study, featured in the prestigious journal Social Policy & Public Administration, examines the perspectives of adults in California, USA, and Norway on whether adoption or foster care is the preferred solution for children who cannot be reunified with their birth parents.
The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) of 1989 asserts that children should be seen as individuals with their own rights. However, the implementation of the UNCRC varies across countries, and public opinions on children’s rights differ significantly. California’s child protection system tends to emphasize the rights of parents, reflecting broader U.S. legal principles that strongly support family privacy and parental rights. In contrast, Norway’s system is more aligned with the UNCRC, prioritizing children’s rights in the context of child protection.
Public Attitudes on Care Options
The study highlights that most respondents in both regions favor adoption for children removed due to maltreatment, where reunification with their birth parents is not possible. The researchers explored whether individuals’ preferences were influenced by their rights orientation—whether they prioritize the rights of children, birth parents, or adoptive parents—or by the institutional context in which they live. Using data from representative samples (n=2222) from the populations in California and Norway, the study found that people with a child rights-oriented perspective tend to favor adoption. Interestingly, the study also revealed that attitudes towards birth parents’ and adoptive parents’ rights did not significantly influence preferences for long-term care options.
– The findings suggest that institutional context, along with individual rights orientation, plays a role in shaping public attitudes towards adoption and foster care, explains Professor Skivenes.
Institutional Context and Policy Implications
The study’s results suggest that institutional context plays a significant role in shaping public attitudes. In California, where nearly one in four adults has contemplated adopting a child, and this cultural backdrop may contribute to the state’s favorable views on adoption. On the other hand, Norway’s focus on children’s rights, embedded in both its legal and political framework, likely influences its public’s stronger support for children’s rights.
– Norway has reached a tipping point where public attitudes overwhelmingly support children’s rights, offering a potential model for countries striving to enhance their commitment to children’s rights, notes Dr. Helland.
The Need for Further Research
The authors emphasize the importance of understanding how core values and institutional contexts influence public attitudes and how these factors may differ across countries and regions.
– Despite the clear trends identified, the study calls for further research to explore the nuances of public opinion on child protection, particularly in contexts beyond California and Norway, explains Professor Berrick.
In conclusion, the article offers valuable insights into how public rights orientations influence preferences for adoption versus foster care in child protection cases. It also underscores the need for policymakers to consider these public attitudes when designing and implementing child protection policies.
The article is part of the Legitimacy Challenges and the Child Protection Services Around the World projects. It is open-access and can be found here.