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The new Social Services Act

Den nya socialtjänstlagen innebär förändringar i hur kommunen arbetar med stöd och hjälp. Målet är en mer förebyggande, tillgänglig och jämlik socialtjänst som bättre möter invånarnas behov.

Updated:

Please note that all forms, digital applications (e-services) and some linked websites are currently in Swedish. Contact Citizen Service if you need help in English.

A more sustainable social service

The new Social Services Act came into force on 1 July 2025. The aim is to make social services more sustainable and better able to meet residents’ needs.

The law states that social services should be:

  • preventive
  • easy to access
  • based on knowledge
  • equitable and gender-equal
  • focused on the best interests of the child

What is affected by the new law?

The new law brings major changes across all areas of social services, including:

Each area needs to adapt its ways of working. This includes focusing more on prevention, increasing collaboration, and making decisions based on knowledge and research.

Social services should be closer to you and work earlier to prevent problems.

This includes:

Preventing problems from arising or worsening, for example through:

  • parenting support
  • support for relatives
  • services addressing violence or harmful use
  • more digital ways to get in touch

Reducing or delaying future needs, for example through:

  • crime prevention work in collaboration with the police
  • cooperation with healthcare services to identify risks early and avoid unnecessary hospital visits

To make social services more accessible, a new approach is being introduced: support without needs assessment. This means that certain types of support can be offered without a formal investigation or decision.

For example, you may receive:

You may also receive support that reduces loneliness and promotes a meaningful everyday life, such as activities at the Seniortorget meeting place.

The law places stronger requirements on basing work on:

  • research
  • proven experience
  • best available knowledge

Social services must also work more systematically with analysing needs. For example, if research shows that a certain type of parenting support is effective, it should be used.

An important goal is to make social services more equitable and gender-equal. Support should be based on individual needs, not assumptions about gender or group belonging. This helps ensure that everyone receives equal support.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is now clearly integrated into the Social Services Act, strengthening children’s rights.

Social services also have a stronger responsibility for crime prevention, especially regarding children and young people.

Children’s and young people’s perspectives should always be considered. Their needs should be identified early, and collaboration between different actors should be strengthened.

Timeline

The transition to a more sustainable social service will take place in stages:

Nationally, the implementation of the new law is expected to take several years. Government funding is allocated for 2025–2028.
This means long-term changes in how services are managed and delivered.

As the law emphasises prevention and collaboration, it affects many municipal services. Social services will contribute knowledge in urban and community planning and work closely with schools, culture, leisure services, civil society, the police and regional healthcare services.

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Contact

Medborgarservice

E-mail: kommunen@boden.se

Phone: 0921-620 00