Page 13 of 30 C. Organisation and administration of child care 39. The Child Welfare Board was empowered to exercise functions and make decisions in childwelfare matters within a municipality (sections 1 and 2 of the 1960 Act). In doing so, it had to give particular attention to minors who were exposed to the risk of unfavourable development due to their physical and mental health, home and family conditions and other circumstances (section 3). The Board was composed of lay members who were assisted by social workers. 40. Since the 1980 social-services legislation entered into force, the functions of the Child Welfare Boards have been taken over by Social Councils, which are composed in the same way as the former Boards but are responsible for social welfare in general. The tasks of the Social Council may, as is the case in Gothenburg, be performed by two or more Social District Councils, each being responsible for a designated area. In child-care matters, a District Council has the same powers and duties as a Social Council. 41. As were the Child Welfare Boards, the Social Councils are under the supervision and control of the County Administrative Board and the National Board of Health and Welfare (socialstyrelsen). D. Care decisions 42. Child Welfare Boards sought and received information about ill-treatment of children or their unsatisfactory living conditions through various officials having frequent contacts with children, such as social workers, doctors, nurses and teachers. Matters of this kind could also be reported to the Boards by private citizens. Upon receipt of such information, a Board had to undertake, without delay, a comprehensive investigation, including interviews, medical examinations and visits to the child’s home. 43. If the Board found that the child’s situation corresponded to that described in section 25 of the 1960 Act (see paragraph 35 above), it had, before resorting to care, to endeavour to remedy the matter by preventive measures (förebyggande åtgärder). These could consist of one or more of the following steps: advice, material support, admonition or warning, orders pertaining to the child’s living conditions, or supervision (section 26). If such measures proved insufficient or were considered pointless, the Board had to place the child in care (section 29). However, a child had to be taken provisionally into care for investigation (without the need for prior preventive measures) if there was a probable cause for intervention under section 25 and if there would otherwise be a risk of deterioration in his situation. Such a decision was valid for a maximum period of four weeks (section 30). In urgent situations where the decision of the Board under section 29 or 30 could not be awaited, section 11 of the 1960 Act empowered the Chairman of the Board to take interim action alone. If he did so, he had to convene a meeting of the Board within ten days in order that a decision be taken in the matter. 44. Further procedural requirements for placing a child in care under section 29 or 30 of the 1960 Act were set out in section 24; in particular, the decision had to be notified without delay to the parents concerned. If they disagreed, the matter had to be referred for review to the County Administrative Court within ten days. 45. Under the 1980 Act, if a Social Council considers that certain action is necessary, it has to apply to the County Administrative Court for a decision; unlike Child Welfare Boards under the 1960 Act, it cannot take the decision itself. In urgent cases, however, the Council or its Chairman may place a child in care as a provisional measure; such a step must be referred within a week to the County Administrative Court, for decision within the following week. E. Implementation of care decisions 46. When a care decision has been taken, the Social Council (formerly the Child Welfare Board) has to implement it, by attending to the practical details of such matters as where to place the child and what http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/viewhbkm.asp?sessionId=60525252&skin=hudoc-en&a... 10/13/2010