social welfare – children The Deputy-Ombudsman stressed that children must be treated as equal individuals and that they must be addressed in a respectful manner. Communicating information / decisions to children • The inspectors were given the impression that some of the children were unaware of their rights, the rights and obligations of the institution, or the duties and responsibilities of their designated social worker. According to the Deputy-Ombudsman, a child has the right, regardless of their age, to information on what the rights and obligations of the authorities or the place of foster care are, and, more importantly, what the rights of the child are. The Deputy-Ombudsman took the initiative to investigate how the children’s right to meet their designated social worker and the children’s right to information is honoured. • Notifications of decisions on restrictive measures had been forwarded to the child’s social worker and guardians, but it was not mentioned in any of the decisions whether the information had also been officially communicated to the child. The Deputy-Ombudsman stated that the children themselves should also receive information on the decision on restrictive measures in the original or as a copy, and proof of receipt should be indicated on the documents. A child has the right to be informed in sufficient detail of the reasons leading to the restrictive measure, the purpose and the duration of the measure, and the practical implications of the decision in their particular case. They should also be advised on the possible filing of an appeal or obtaining appropriate legal advice. Restrictive measures / disciplinary measures • As one form of disciplinary measure used at the unit, the children were ordered to stay in their rooms, a method to which the inspectors of the municipality of residence had drawn attention on their visit; the punishment practices should be reviewed to ascertain that punishments are reasonable regardless of the ward or the staff on duty. The primary intervention is a discussion with the child. The Deputy-Ombudsman drew attention to the importance of continuous assessment of the child’s situation and the appropriateness of the nature and proportion of any disciplinary and educational measures adopted. 59