Barnets bästa : ett begrepp i förändring
In this paper the conception “the best interest of the child” examines with the starting-point to study which different ideas that exists and have existed about what this means. This conception is not new for today, but it has been debated more frequently after the creation of the United Nations Children’s Convention which was accepted in 1989. However, the best interest of the child is a social construction and therefore the meaning of the conception changes constantly.The method that lays the foundation of this paper is partly an exposition of literature and also a text analysis of two historical sources consisting of a government bill from 1924, prop. 1924:150, and one of the States official reports from 1997, SOU 1997:116. Through this text analysis emerges both similarities and differences between the society’s views on the best interest of the child.The statement is that the conceptions of what the best interest of the child mean have changed since the beginning of the twentieth century. The development of the best interest of the child is connected to many factors such as the view of the child, existing culture, norms, values, knowledge, economy, political ideas, reforms and gender conceptions. The conclusion is that grown-ups tried to fulfil what was best for the children even in the beginning of the twentieth century, but the conception had a different meaning at the time. Therefore the conclusion is that the best interest of the child has been, is and will be a conception in change.
School:Högskolan i Jönköping
Source Type:Master's Thesis
Keywords:children s best interest of the child
Date of Publication:01/17/2008