This article aims to demonstrate the interplay between the individual's negotiation of his/her identity in compulsory school and the systems of communication and practice of professionals in the welfare state. It looks at the case of "Tom," whose custody has been taken over by the Child Welfare Service and who now lives in a child welfare institution. The article discusses how Tom constructs and negotiates his identity within educational and institutional frameworks, which are in turn influenced by professional agencies, alliances, and power relations.