A supervision order involves the restriction of parental authority over a young person. When a child’s development is at serious risk and parents refuse (or refuse in part) the care that is needed to eliminate that risk, a judge can issue a family supervision order at the request of the Child Protection Board (or, in a few cases, the public prosecutor). The child is then assigned a youth protection worker from a certified institution. This person supports the child and his parents in solving parenting problems. The parents remain responsible for the child’s upbringing, but their authority is partially curtailed by the order. Both the parents and the child are obliged to follow instructions given by the child protection worker. Once the situation is safe enough, the child can continue to live with his or her parents. The judge may also decide to place the child away from home temporarily, for example in the care of a foster family. A supervision order can last up to one year, but the judge may extend its duration by (a maximum of) one year repeatedly, until the child comes of age.
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