Child welfare social work is a core service of child welfare in all situations: in open care, substitute care and after-care.
All children and young people who are clients of child welfare services have their own social worker. The social worker's duty is to protect the child's best interests.
The social worker assesses the family's situation and plans the necessary support measures together with the child and the family. The social worker makes a client plan for the child and monitors the effectiveness of the support measures.
The service is free of charge.
In open care social work, we aim to support the child and the family so that the child can grow up safely at home with the family.
The social worker gets to know the family and assesses what kind of support and services would best benefit the child and the family. The social worker guides the child and the family to these services.
The social worker meets with the child and the family according to the client plan.
A person can become our client after the investigation of the need for child welfare.
Our clients are children and young people in care who live with a foster family, in a professional family home or in a children’s home. We support the entire family of the placed child or young person.
Every placed child has a designated social worker who monitors the best interests of the child. The social worker cooperates with the child, the child’s parents, the substitute care facility and the other network.
The social worker meets the child and the family according to the client plan and visits the substitute care facility regularly.
After-care supports children and young people after the end of the care proceedings or placement outside the home lasting longer than six months.
The child or young person is entitled to after-care for five years after last being a client of child welfare services or until turning 25.
We can help with matters relating to, for example, housing, livelihood, health, studies, work and independent living.
The child or young person can contact us to start the service.
The designated social worker plans with the child or young person the support needed and draws up a client plan. A social instructor can also work with the child or young person. The loved ones of the child or young person and the network from, for example, school and health care are welcome to cooperate.
At the end of after-care social work, our social worker may refer the young person to other municipal services.