In 2010, a rather unique legislation was introduced in Sweden that healthcare professionals must pay special attention to children-as-next-of-kin and their needs for information, advice, and support. Based on that, between 2011 and 2020, the National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) has had a governmental commission to promote developmental work focused on children-as-next-of-kin. The work has been carried out in close collaboration with other national and regional authorities as well as competence centers. Through increased knowledge and the construction of sustainable structures, both social and health care services have received support in order to better apply a child- and family perspective in their work with families facing different difficulties.

Through the assignment, the NBHW has had a strategic collaboration with the Swedish Family Care Competence Center (SFCCC), a national competence center for the support of informal carers, together with the Linnaeus University. Since 2012, the SFCCC has received special funding from the NBHW in order to develop its work focusing on children-of-next-of-kin. The assignment including producing and disseminating knowledge, working with exchange of experiences, systematic follow-up and learning networks. The goal is to increase knowledge about children-of-next-of-kin among politicians, decision-makers and professionals in regions, municipalities, scholars, and NGO’s, and giving empowerment to identify, listen to and support children-as-next-of-kin. This presentation is about what we have done so far.