In this study, the level of parenting required to be considered good enough by social authorities is examined – through qualitative interviews with the social workers who assess parents, focusing on the practical aspects of parenting. The study uses social construction theory to analyse parenting skills expected by social authorities, as well as the view that children’s needs can be divided into different categories – that some aspects of children’s needs are necessary for survival and other aspects can differ depending on a specific society’s ways and values. The study’s results shows that a high level of parenting is required by social authorities to be considered good enough, especially when it comes to the safety of the child. It is also considered important that a parent has routines and provides physical care in a structured way. The result shows that social workers think that children’s physical needs are closely connected to their emotional needs and that even a high level of physical care is not good enough if the parent has no emotional connection to the child. It is also expected that the parent is able to adapt the care to the child's individual needs.