Kjersti Toppe

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Kjersti Toppe
Kjersti Toppe kandidater Sp, stortingsvalget 2013 (2).jpg
Minister of Children and Families
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 October 2021
Prime MinisterJonas Gahr Støre
Preceded byKjell Ingolf Ropstad
Member of the Norwegian Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2009
ConstituencyHordaland
Personal details
Born (1967-10-20) 20 October 1967 (age 54)
Bergen, Hordaland, Norway
Political partyCentre
Spouse(s)Erlend
Children6

Kjersti Toppe (born 20 October 1967) is a Norwegian politician representing the Centre Party. She has served as minister of children and families since 2021, and an MP from Hordaland since 2009.

Career[]

Parliament[]

Toppe was her party's top nominee for Hordaland in the 2009 election and was elected to the Storting in September. Prior to her election to parliament, Toppe served as the Centre Party's sole representative in the Bergen city council since 2001.

In parliament, Toppe was assigned to the position as deputy leader of the Standing Committee on Health and Care Services. During the election campaign, healthcare was her main issue, and she pledged to work against closure of rural hospitals.[1] Toppe also served as the party's spokesperson for health policy.

Minister of Children and Families[]

Toppe was appointed minister of children and families on 14 October 2021 in Støre's Cabinet.[2]

Following revelations that the Norwegian System of Patient Injury Compensation had not met with people who demanded compensation for injuries, Toppe expressed surprise of the compensation's actions, and said that she had at least expected them to meet with the people in question. She did not rule out that their methods could revolve around income or people's finances. She further that there will be a full review of the compensation's methods and did not rule out that it should be changed.[3]

A father filed a complaint to the Norwegian Parliamentary Ombud regarding his loss of 67 days of his paid paternity leave because he had applied after the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration's deadline. His complaint expressed that NAV had no legal authority to deprive him of the money. The ombudsman supported him, but despite this, NAV didn't comply. Toppe expressed support for NAV's judicial evaluation, commenting that the case was complicated. She further stated that the ombudsman had reached a different conclusion then NAV and the Social Security Court, and that the ministry would stand behind NAV's conclusion.[4]

More than 13 cases against Norway were brought up by the European Court of Human Rights regarding child neglect and breaches of human rights from the Norwegian Child Welfare Services. On 26 November, Toppe expressed understanding. She further remarked that the breaches of human rights were serious and unacceptable. She also stressed that it was her responsibility to make sure that the Child Welfare Services upheld human rights obligations.[5]

On 7 December, in a Teams meeting with the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers, Toppe promised to have a look at turnover and incitement against Child Welfare Service workers. She notably said: “I want to highlight the work you do and work to ensure that you feel safe and well at work”.[6]

After VG had been denied insight to documents from the Norwegian Child Welfare Services due to concerns to maintain their reputation; Toppe expressed concern that it could cause distrust in the Child Welfare Services. She also said that the Services behaved “too locked”, and also cited that concerns for reputation had never been used as an argument before. She also mentioned that the Services should be more transparent and open to the public and provide more insight.[7]

Personal life[]

Apart from politics, Toppe is a medical doctor, and has worked at the emergency room in Bergen. She quit this job during her fifth pregnancy, and now has six children with her husband Erlend.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ Olsen, Ragnhild Osnes (2009-10-02). "Toppe vert nestleiar" (in Norwegian). NRK Hordaland. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  2. ^ "Norge har fått ny regjering" (in Norwegian). NRK. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Ber om full gjennomgang av omstridt NPE-praksis" (in Norwegian). TV 2. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Statsråd Toppe støtter Nav og ikke Sivilombudet. – Vanskelig sak, sier hun" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Vil ikke beklage menneskerettsbrudd" (in Norwegian). TV 2. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Kjersti Toppe lover å se på turnover og hets mot barnevernsansatte" (in Norwegian). Fontene. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Barneministeren: − Barnevernet fremstår for lukket" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  8. ^ Ruud, Solveig (2009-09-02). "Seks barn, to foreldre - én stortingsplass" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-10-25.

External links[]

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