Ett gott hem? : Barnavårdsnämndens praktik i Växjö 1926-1935

Denna rapport handlar om fosterbarnsvård under perioden 1926–1935, då många barn bodde i fosterhem i Sverige. Vid studiens startpunkt hade en ny lag om samhällets barnavård införts där det ingick bestämmelser om kontroll över fosterbarnens vård. Vem som helst fick inte ta hand om fosterbarn, därför skulle fosterhems och fosterföräldrars lämplighet utredas och barnens vård i hemmen kontrolleras. I rapporten ges en inblick i hur lämplighetsfrågan och fosterhemstillsynen hanterades i en lokal praktik vid barnavårdsnämnden i Växjö. Ann-Sofie Bergman är socionom och fil. mag. i historia. Detta är hennes licentiatavhandling i socialt arbete.This study is about foster family care in Sweden during a period at the beginning of the twentieth century, when many children were placed in foster homes. Because of the law regulating society’s children care (lag om samhällets barnavård) which came into force in 1926, children’s welfare boards (barnavårdsnämnder) were raised in the municipalities of Sweden. These boards got the responsibility for the supervising of foster care and for placing children with suitable foster parents. Then what was meant by foster parents being suitable? In this study the children’s welfare boards documented suitability tests of foster parents and foster homes are being analysed in a local context. It’s primarily language and argumentation which are being focused upon in this analysis. The local study has been located to Växjö during the period of 1926 to 1935. The result of the study shows that the foster children often were placed in foster homes in the local surroundings. The children’s welfare board preferred to place children with married couples who were living in the countryside without children of their own. Furthermore it was considered necessary that there was a woman in the foster home who took care of the children and the home. The foster parents’ care of the children was inspected by the board. How the foster parents took care of the children was essential, and the material conditions were important in this context, but also feelings and the relationship between the children and the adults. Problems in the foster homes which drew the attention of the board could be lack of good enough material conditions, illness or unsuitable lodgers. But the opinions about what was proper or improper could differ – children, parents and foster parents sometimes thought differently about this than the board did. When deciding upon this issue there could be negotiations or disputes taking place between the involved. Conclusively, this study has pointed out the significance of economy at the suitability tests carried out on the foster homes. If the foster parents did not receive any economic compensation for the foster child, the demands on the suitability of a foster home could be lower