The Sweden Democrats in Hylte have launched a local campaign about the work of social services and the taking into care of children. On Friday, the party distributed flyers in Swedish, Arabic, Somali, and Albanian with the message “Stop social services from taking your children.” But the initiative is not appreciated by terrorism researcher Magnus Ranstorp.

The initiative is led by, among others, the group leader and municipal chairperson, Stina Isaksson, who believes the issue is about strengthening families’ security and trust in the authorities.

Wants to reduce fear of social services

According to Stina Isaksson, the party has for some time wanted to see changes and a thorough review of social services’ work in Hylte. She says that many families feel anxiety regarding interventions by the authority and that this needs to be taken seriously.

– It is a clear, powerful message, which is often the case during political campaigns. We want children, as much as possible, to be able to live with their parents. There are people who literally leave this country and return home with their children because they are afraid of social services. We need to improve and work better in this area, she says to TV4.

The flyers show two women in hijab above the message. The material has, among other places, been distributed to people attending SFI Swedish language classes.

“This is a change in attitude”

Isaksson says that the campaign is a local initiative and not anchored nationally within the Sweden Democrats. At the same time, she believes that the issue of compulsive care is important to discuss openly, since it does not matter what laws are passed nationally if they are not followed at the municipal level.

She also points out that taking children into care can have long-lasting consequences for both children and families.

– Doesn’t social services, many times, take children into care? They enter with police and traumatize children for life. I have met pensioners who still have not processed being taken into care as children. It is a problem.

Criticism from Magnus Ranstorp

However, terror researcher Magnus Ranstorp considers that the campaign’s wording risks being associated with the so-called LVU campaign that spread internationally during 2021 and 2022. He believes the message can contribute to heightened distrust of social services.

– It is directly alarmist and misleading information, he tells TV4.

Ranstorp also believes that the phrasing about “stopping” children being taken into care gives a misleading impression of what politicians can actually influence without legislative change.

The Sweden Democrats’ regional chair in Halland, Lars Larsson, has commented on the flyer and describes it as “ill-considered.” According to him, the party has therefore been in contact with the municipality so that the distribution of flyers will cease.