Annex to Norway’s Addendum to the Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review 26 August 2019 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 16 Elaborate and establish clear criteria regarding the best interests of the child according to the international instruments applicable to Norway and guarantee that the municipal child welfare services take into consideration the child’s background when providing a foster care in cases with international involvement (Bulgaria); Implement robust measures in addressing the concern raised by the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the increase of online child sexual abuse and exploitation (Malaysia); Allocate adequate resources to ensure the right of the child to life without violence and at the same time avoid unnecessary intervention of care institutions in the family life (Russian Federation); Consider surveying the current practices relating to separation of children from their parents, deprivation of rights of biological parents and limitation of contact rights of biological parents with their separated children with a view that such forceful steps are only used as measures of last resort (Bulgaria); Take appropriate steps to facilitate the communication between the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs of Norway and the competent central authorities of the countries which citizens face problems on issues related to child welfare in Norway (Bulgaria); Use drastic steps such as out-of-home child placements and deprivation of parental rights only as a last resort (Cyprus); Review the current practices relating to out-of-home placements, deprivation of parental rights and limitation of parent-children contact rights, with a view to ensuring that such drastic steps are only used as measures of last resort, and also respect and comply with international standards, in particular regarding international private law when relevant issues arise (Greece); Reconsider the practice of the Norwegian child welfare office separating children from their families and recognize basic rights of children belonging to ethnic minorities, especially Muslim and Roma communities (Islamic Republic of Iran); Accepted, already implemented. In 2019, the Board of Health Supervision published a report that examined more than 100 cases where a child had been placed in alternative care. The report showed that in all these cases, the situation prior to placing the child in alternative care was grave, and that the removal of the child from his/her family was necessary for his/her protection. However, there is room for improvement. More effective assistance must be provided to prevent the need to place children in alternative care. A new draft child welfare bill has recently been subject to public consultation. The child’s right to have contact with family members after a care order has been made, is one of the questions that has been reviewed. Some amendments to the current system of contact rights have been proposed. Accepted. Accepted, already implemented. Accepted, already implemented. See 183. Accepted, already implemented. In addition to the report mentioned in 183, the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs commissioned a report from NOVA (Norwegian Social Research) on the handling of compulsory care order cases in ethnic minority families by the Child Welfare Services and the County Social Welfare Boards. Targeted measures to strengthen the Child Welfare Services’ cultural