New report on the child’s first 1000 days launched

Recording from the launch of the status report on children at risk of poverty now on YouTube

How are children and young people in the Nordic region faring when their families live with persistently low income? This was the focus of the hybrid event launching the Nordic status report on children and youth in families with persistent low income in February.

Age limits for children using social media

The Norwegian government plans to present a new bill to Parliament before the end of this year, proposing an age limit for children using social media. The age limit will apply from 1 January the year a child turns 16. Under the new law, technology companies will be responsible for age verification of young users at login.

Last October, the Danish government launched a similar proposal suggesting a national age limit of 15 years for accessing social media, and 13 and 14 years with parental consent.

In Sweden, a government inquiry into the possibility of introducing an age limit for social media will be presented in June.

Denmark: Nyt lovforslag skal gøre app til virkelighed

Norway: Norwegian social media age restrictions law on track to be introduced this year – This is how the age limit for social media will work

Sweden: Regeringen tillsätter utredning om åldersgräns för sociala medier

At what age should children have their own smartphone?

The Swedish government has tasked the Public Health Agency with gathering and compiling evidence on the link between children’s health and well-being and their ownership of a smartphone. The agency should present its final findings in December 2026.

New Nordic research: A “punitive turn” may reshape responses to youth and welfare

A new peer-reviewed study in the European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research analyses developments in Nordic anti-gang and crime policies over the past 15–20 years. The researchers identify a clear “punitive turn”, marked by a shift away from welfare-oriented prevention towards more security-driven, deterrence-based and carceral approaches.

Across Denmark, Sweden and Norway, policy responses increasingly emphasise sentencing, policing tools, surveillance and incapacitation, while social crime prevention and welfare-based interventions have been deprioritised. Prevention is no longer primarily located within welfare systems but has increasingly moved towards the police and criminal justice system.

The study shows how local events – such as shootings and gang-related violence – have acted as policy catalysts, prompting tougher legislation and expanded enforcement measures. At the same time, crime is increasingly framed as a public safety and security problem, rather than a social issue linked to inequality and exclusion.

Although the Nordic countries have historically been characterised by strong welfare-based and rehabilitative approaches, current policies are increasingly grounded in “carceral logics”, focusing on deterrence and control rather than reintegration.

The researchers also point to implications for children and young people. Youth are increasingly addressed within penal and security frameworks, including stronger sanctions, expanded youth detention capacity and criminalisation of recruitment into gangs. This development may challenge the traditional balance between welfare, prevention and proportionality, and raises questions about long-term inclusion and trust in public institutions.