Being a child welfare client
Being a child welfare clientChild welfare services are there for you when lesser support is not enough. You can become a customer of child welfare the service need assessment.
Our services for child welfare clients
Enhanced family work is intensive support for the whole family, with an emphasis on cooperation with the family. This may be required, for example, in a family crisis situation.
We carry out social work in open care as well as during foster care and aftercare. Children and young people in child welfare have their own social worker who supervises the best interests of the child.
The purpose of enhanced family work for young people is to help young people with behavioural symptoms aged 10–17 and their families. The need for the service arises from the challenges of the young person in the family.
Family work to support school attendance is intended for pupils in grades 7–9 who have a high level of truancy or who have completely stopped going to school.
24-hour family rehabilitation is intended for family customers of child welfare who need 24-hour guidance and support.
The goal of open family rehabilitation is to strengthen family relationships, parenthood and functional everyday life. The best interests of the child serve as the basis.
Family counselling supports the participation of loved ones in the life of a child or young person who is a customer of family social work or child welfare.
Toivo activities support children and families in situations where crime, substances or serious behavioural issues challenge daily life and cause concern.
Multidimensional Family Therapy is intended for symptomatic young people aged 11-17 years and their families in crisis situations.
A child or young person may be placed in foster care for a short time in a foster family, foster facility or with a close person.
Do you want to help other families?
Do you have the opportunity to become a support family or a support person for a child or young person? Or are you interested in reception family or foster family activities?
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A child placed in a professional family home receives individual care and comfort as well as an opportunity to join the family. Read more about family homes here.
When a child needs longer-term placement outside the home, the primary option is family placement. The placed child lives in a private home with an ordinary family. Read more about family placement here.
A child can live in a children’s home for a short or longer period of time. The duration depends on each child’s needs and the family’s situation. Read more about children’s homes here.
On this page, we explain what child welfare means, what services it includes, how you can access child welfare services, and how you can submit a child welfare notification.
A child welfare notification informs a child welfare social worker of a child who may need help. Here you can find out how to make the notification and what happens afterwards.
Information elsewhere
This guideline is intended for persons who have a duty to submit a child welfare notification and for others who may have concerns about a child’s wellbeing and a need to submit a child welfare notification.
Guidelines for those working in Child Welfare by The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).