“In a Proper Home”

Abstract

In all times and in all societies, there have been children who for various reasons have not been able to grow up with their biological parents. The solutions to the problems have varied; in Sweden, most of the children have been placed in foster care. Because of the act regulating state childcare passed in 1926, child welfare boards were established in the municipalities. These boards were responsible for placing children with foster parents and for supervising foster homes. Foster parents were required to be suitable in order to be allowed to take care of a foster child. This article analyzes conceptions of foster parents’ suitability in relation to perceptions of foster children’s needs during the twentieth century. This study is based on document analysis of the child welfare practice. Via a long-term analysis, the study reveals continuity as well as changes over time. Major changes took place in the 1960s and 1970s with new requirements on foster parents due to changes in which children were placed in care and changing perceptions of childhood and parenthood in the society.