Child Welfare
Child welfare is based on the Finnish Child Welfare Act (417/2007). Its task is to protect children’s rights to e.g. a safe and balanced growth environment, equal and well-rounded development, and special protection and care in accordance with their individual needs and wishes.
The focus in child welfare work is on improving growth environments, supporting parenthood, and implementing preventive efforts. The purpose is to support a family in the child’s own growth environment. If a child’s living conditions are endangered for any reason, the child must be guaranteed as good care as possible outside the home. Child welfare can be divided into preventive measures, open care support measures, and out-of-home care.
Description of the Service
A child’s parents and other custodians have main responsibility for the child’s wellbeing, upbringing, and care.
Authorities working with children and families support parents and custodians in their upbringing role and strive to offer families necessary and early help and, if necessary, refer children and families to child welfare services.
Child- and family-oriented child welfare encompasses the establishment of client plans and the implementation of open care support measures. It also includes emergency placement and taking a child into care as well as its connected out-of-home care and aftercare.
Open Care Support Measures in Child Welfare
Child- and family-oriented child welfare work is mainly carried out in open care. All children who are clients of child welfare services have a client plan detailing goals and support measures. The support measures are planned and evaluated as far as possible in cooperation with the child and family. Open care support measures include e.g. intensified family work and family rehabilitation. The measures are tailored according to the child’s needs.
Taking A Child into Care and its Connected Out-Of-Home Care
If open care support measures in child welfare are not sufficient or liable to protect a child’s right to a safe and balanced growth environment, the child has the right to be taken into care and placed into out-of-home care. Out-of-home care means that the child’s care and treatment will be arranged via a placement into family care or an institution. When a child is placed outside the home, placement within the family or relatives must be assessed. In the continued work with the child and family, the goal is to improve the whole family’s situation so that the child may return home.
Aftercare
When an out-of-home placement ends, a child or youth is often in need of special support and, therefore, has a right to aftercare. Aftercare is terminated when the individual reaches the age of 25 or when five years have passed since the child was last a client of child welfare services.
Useful forms
Address: Socialcentralen, Vörågatan 46, 65101 Vasa
Phone time weekdays at 8 – 12 am, phone 06 218 1417
Tiina Böling, social worker-in-charge, phone 040-745 2338
Kirsi Vuorinen, social worker-in-charge, phone 040 773 2351
Katja Lammassaari, social worker, phone 040 670 3276
Raimo Kivistö, social worker, phone 040 066 8643
Susanne Palm-Wahlstedt, social worker, phone 040 483 6495
Katariina Ramberg, social worker, phone 0504322187
Emmi Hakala, social worker, phone 040 584 2620
Tiina Pakkala, social worker, phone 040 352 7022
Mari Nelimarkka, social worker, phone 040 194 3239
Annukka Melantie, social worker, phone 040 481 2001
Susanne Leppänen, social worker, phone 040 735 1066
Janika West, social worker, phone 040 653 8974
Heli Koivula, social worker, phone 040 735 0988
Jaana Kahilakoski, social worker, phone 040 669 1998
Jonna Kivelä, social worker, phone 040 6614267
Jaana Laine, social worker, phone 040 3568968
Virpi Tolonen, social worker, phone 040 187 5140
Ulla – Maija Marttunen, social worker, phone 0403516556
Address: Social services, Vallinmäentie 43 (2.vån), 66400 Laihia
Rantala Elina, social worker, phone time weekdays at 10-11 am , phone. 040 4850 570
Address: Social services, Centrumvägen 4, Smedsby
Address: Socialkansliet, Öurvägen 31, 66800 Oravais
Tiina Böling, social worker-in-charge, phone 040-745 23 38
Linda Nyström, social worker, phone 044 424 9111
Marie Björklund, social worker, phone 044 424 9101
Niklas Hästbacka, social worker, phone 044 424 9220
Julia Käldström-Sund, social instructor, phone 040 359 4137
Daniela Julin, social instructor, phone. 050 313 4727
Address: Enheten för barnskydd, Malmska social- och hälsocentral
Kållbyvägen 7 / Bottenviksvägen 1, ingång H, våning 5
Pb 111, 68601 Jakobstad
Phone time weekdays at 8-16, phone 040 805 1726
Pia Kotanen, social worker-in-charge, phone 040 805 1504
Maria Aho , social worker, phone 050 518 4610
Karin Bjonbäck, social worker, phone 040 805 1972
Mia Björkgård , social worker, phone 040 805 1911
Anne Enlund, social worker, phone 040 805 1675
Jennie Haga, social worker, phone 040 805 1559
Anna Ingo , social worker, phone 040 805 1359
Helinä Lillrank, social worker, phone 040 805 1912
Åsa Lund, social worker, phone 040 805 1492
Pia Nordling, social worker, phone 040 805 1485
Erica Nyblom, social worker, phone 050 411 7508
Lena Nyfelt, social worker, phone 040 805 1952
Fredrika Vestvik, social worker, phone 040 805 1910
Julia Granholm, social worker, phone 050 461 8398
Anette Ohlsson, social instructor, phone 040 805 1636
Minna Söderlund, social instructor, phone 040 805 1617
Kirsi Vuorinen, social worker-in-charge, phone 040 773 2351
Hannah Sjölund, social worker, phone 040 594 2657
Camilla Åstrand, social worker, phone 040 160 06 38
Hanna Högback, social worker, phone 050 329 7564
Chief of child protection
Siv Kola, phone. 0400 860096
siv.kola@ovph.fi