ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the parents' role in the planning and delivery of care when their children are being looked after. It is reasonable to expect that when the welfare state, represented by the child welfare services, takes a child into care, the child will be provided with stable and nurturing environments. There is also reason to expect some unfortunate exceptions, but basically children in care should get a nurturing and stable home where they can stay, at least until a planned return to their parents is carried out. Combining an acknowledgement of the families' efforts to help their children with an acceptance of break-downs in professional placements, draws attention to the importance of involving the parents in the placements of their children. In order to give children and parents real influence over what is happening, there may be a need to change the decision-making procedures.
