Multiple former and current residents at Lågen youth home have come forward with stories of force, power abuse, and surveillance. They say they never felt safe at the institution.
The youth home has received 18 formal complaints since last year. Half of these complaints were upheld by authorities.
An 18-year-old girl who left Lågen earlier this year claims staff frequently resort to force as their first option. "It was like a prison," said Ida, whose identity we know but have protected. "We weren't allowed outside at all during some periods. There was so much unnecessary use of power."
Ten teenagers aged 13 to 18 live at Lågen youth home. These institutions provide residential care for young people who cannot live with their families.
One incident detailed in the State Administrator's report involved staff trying to take Ida's phone. When she refused and went to her room, staff followed. After she threw a mirror on the floor in anger, three staff members restrained her on the ground. They then carried her to an isolation room and forcibly took her phone.
The State Administrator concluded this use of force was illegal and preventable. They found the institution failed to properly prevent unnecessary restraint, violating child protection laws.
"We take both the State Administrator's conclusions and the young people's own experiences seriously," said Sille Solheim Pedersen, department director at the state childcare agency. "This is something we're incorporating into improvement work at Lågen. We should be a safe place for youth who need institutional care."
Another former resident, Erik, now 18, described a violent confrontation with two staff members just before he left. He filed a police report and went to the emergency room with injuries including bruises, scratches, and a strained tendon.
"It was frightening," Erik said. "I'm shocked by how awful people can be, especially when they work at a place that's supposed to help you."
His lawyer, Lill Kristin Nilsen, stated: "Violence shouldn't have been used here at all. Police need to investigate whether any criminal laws were broken."
Police have received the complaint and are investigating. However, the State Administrator reviewed the same incident and found the force used was legal and proportionate.
Former employees have also contacted media after the report's release. One compared Lågen's operation to "how a totalitarian leader runs a regime in countries we don't want to compare ourselves with."
The institution's leader declined to comment, referring questions to regional management. Department director Pedersen acknowledged that force is sometimes necessary in youth care institutions but emphasized they take complaints seriously.
Erik is now trying to complete high school while awaiting the police investigation outcome. Ida has moved to another aftercare institution where she feels safe and heard.
The situation at Lågen appears to reflect broader challenges in balancing safety with dignity in youth residential care. When multiple young people describe similar experiences of excessive force, it suggests systemic issues rather than isolated incidents.