Radical Changes or Traditional Approaches in a Different Guise? An Analysis of the Norwegian Mother-Child Service

In recent years practitioners within the Norwegian mother and child health service have been advised to change their approach to parents, and in particular to play down their traditional “expert” role. On matters concerning their own child, parents have come to be regarded as the “experts,” and scientific knowledge is no longer considered superior to skills gained through practical experience. However, current recommendations for practice are inconsistent, and rather than being reduced, professional authority and control have entered a new mode. Instead of being articulated and made explicit, these aspects of the mother-child service are disguised. The language employed by the service might act to mask attempts to maintain the traditional relationship between professionals and parents. This article does not direct a one-sided critique toward the exercise of professional authority within this field of practice, but instead seeks to initiate a discussion on legitimate and illegitimate forms of authority and control. The analysis draws on two sources of data: documentary materials and interviews with public health nurses.