Controversy Over Ivo's Closure of Youth Care Homes Amid Allegations of Criminal Activity

On October 23, 2024, Tors gård, a Swedish youth care home, was abruptly shut down by the Swedish Health and Social Care Inspectorate (Ivo) following police reports suggesting criminal involvement across several care institutions. This action was part of a broader investigation targeting 18 care homes suspected of links to criminal elements. Despite Tors gård's decade-long operation with positive social services feedback and a recent clean routine inspection, Ivo closed the facility after a tip led to an unannounced inspection by a team from Örebro, concluding the home posed risks to child safety.

By the end of 2025, Ivo had closed 39 such homes nationwide, triggering significant controversy. Former staff and local authorities criticized the shutdown of Tors gård, highlighting a lack of concrete evidence and questioning the agency's decision-making criteria. Internal voices within Ivo also expressed concern that these closures might harm vulnerable children, emphasizing that their welfare may not have been sufficiently prioritized.

The closures have raised alarm about the fate of displaced youths and sparked debates about oversight methods in Sweden's social care sector. While Ivo had received increased funding to crack down on problematic homes, critics argue that the impact on children and the justification for the closures require more scrutiny.