Services for children, young people and families

There are many services available for children, young people and families. Don't hesitate to contact us if you need help with something.

Maternity Clinic

Maternity clinics provide support in matters related to expecting a child and parenting. During the appointments, the progress of your pregnancy will be monitored, and your health and wellbeing will be discussed with you and your family.

An appointment at the maternity clinic must be made ahead. Contact the clinic by phone after you have received a positive pregnancy test. The service is free of charge.

Contact information is available on the Finnish-language website: Äitiysneuvolat (Maternity clinics)

Child Health Clinic

Child health clinics monitor the health and growth of children under school age. You receive support for your parenthood and the well-being of your entire family.

An appointment at the child health clinic must be made ahead. Make an appointment either by phone or online. The service is free of charge.

Contact information is available on the Finnish-language website: Lastenneuvolat (Child health clinics)

School Health Care

School Health Care is provided for all primary school pupils. The service is free of charge.

You can come to the public health nurse's open reception to discuss your symptoms or other issues weighing on your mind. The service hours for open appointments are school-specific. There is no need to make an appointment ahead.

A medical examination will be provided for you by the school nurse every year. A public health nurse will inform you and your parents/guardians about the start of medical examinations. You can arrange a visit with the school physician through the school nurse.

Student health care

You are entitled to student health care services provided by the wellbeing services county if you are studying in a vocational upper secondary school or general upper secondary school. These services are also provided for those who are studying in preparatory education for a degree/job or for independent living.

Student health care provides health care and non-urgent medical care services – including sexual health services as well as mental health and substance abuse services.

The service is chargeable in part. Medical appointments with a physician are subject to a fee for persons aged 18 and over, with the exception of mental health visits. A fee is charged for an unused and uncancelled visit from persons aged 18 and over.

School psychologists and counsellors in basic education

All pre-primary and basic education pupils are entitled to the services of a psychologist and/or counsellor in basic education. These services are free of charge.

• The psychologist can help you with emotional and developmental challenges.
• A school counsellor will help you cope with the challenges of family and friend relationships, behaviour, emotional life, and schooling.

Usually, psychologists and counsellors can be seen by making an appointment.

You can contact a school psychologist via Wilma, by phone, or by text message.

You can contact a school counsellor by Wilma, phone, text message, or make an appointment directly with the counsellor concerned.

Secondary education counsellors and psychologists

The services of a student welfare counsellor and/or psychologist are provided for all who are completing their secondary education. In addition, these services are given to students with a vocational upper secondary qualification or part thereof, as well as to students in preparatory (TUVA) education for qualification training and those in general upper secondary education, but not to students in general upper secondary education specifically for adults.  

These services are free of charge. Usually, psychologists and counsellors can be seen by making an appointment. 

School counsellors offer support for studying, relationships, emotional wellbeing, life management and the urge for independence. You can contact a school counsellor by Wilma, phone, text message, or make an appointment directly with the counsellor concerned.

You can go to a psychologist for a discussion period related to mental health and life crises. You can contact the psychologist via, for instance, Wilma, by phone, or by text message.

Help and support for parenting

Service counselling for families with children

Help is available for parenting challenges and family problems. Service counselling is a first-stage low-threshold counselling – you will receive guidance to services that help your family the best.

The service counsellors provide advice and support in matters related to everyday life, such as housing and finances, situations of intimate partner and domestic violence, as well as support for the child's development and well-being.

Social work for families with children

Social work for families with children helps when the life situation of your family is stressful. You can contact us when you need aid and advice in your everyday life in matters related to coping, housing and finances. Social work for families with children also helps in situations of intimate partner and family violence, crisis situations, or support for children’s development and well-being.  

You can reach the social worker by phone or by filling in the contact request form. The Ask for Help form is in Finnish, but you can complete it in English.

• The Ask for Help form (Pyydä apua lapsiperheelle -lomake)

You can find the contact methods on the Finnish-language website: Social work for families with children

Read more about social work for families with children in various languages on the Child Welfare Information website.

Home services for families with children

The Home Help Service for Families with Children provides early support for your family. Work is mainly carried out with your family at home.

Home Help Service employees provide you with assistance when you are in a challenging life situation. These may include, for example, difficulties related to the birth of a child and baby care, childcare, managing everyday routines at home, or assistance with running errands during visits with physicians and officials.

The service is subject to a fee.

Family work for families with children

Family work is intended for all families of children under 18 years of age in the wellbeing services county. Family work offers help when, for example, you need guidance and general assistance in

• strengthening your own resources
• improving the interaction between family members
• agreeing on curfews and leisure arrangements for a child or teen
• going to school.

You can apply for family work through the Social Work for Families with Children programme or the Child Health Clinic. You can also contact us by phone or by e-services.

Child supervisors

In the event of divorce proceedings, the parents should agree on the care, accommodation, right of access and subsistence of their minor children.

Making arrangements with a child supervisor is voluntary. The Child Welfare Supervisor assists the parents in drafting an agreement in the best interests of the child. 
 
Child welfare supervisors may also deal with matters related to the clarification and acknowledgement of parenthood, if parenthood has not been recognised at the child health clinic before the birth of the child.

Child Welfare non-institutional and substitute care

Child Welfare is the last-resort form of support for the child and the family, turned to when other services are considered insufficient.

In Child Welfare open care, you can get support from a Child Welfare social worker, intensified family work, or other open care services.

A child is placed in substitute care only if the open care measures do not meet the standards in the best interests of the child.

In Child Welfare social work, a designated social worker is appointed for the child and family. If you are a client of the Child Welfare services, you can contact your own employee. If you are a new client or do not have a social worker of your own, please contact the social services or the social worker for families with children in your area by phone.

If the situation requires urgent advice or immediate intervention, you can contact the child welfare or social emergency services.

You can read more information about child welfare in various languages on the lastensuojelu.info website.

Child welfare emergency department and child welfare notification

The child welfare emergency department is helpful when the situation of the child, young person or family requires urgent advice or immediate intervention. Such situations may be related to, for example, violence, mental health problems, intoxicants, or suspicion that the care of a child has been neglected.

The Child Welfare Emergency department receives, e.g. child welfare notifications and handles urgent child welfare-related matters during office hours.

Anyone who notices that a child or young person is in need of help can contact the Child Welfare On-call Service.

Contact information for submitting a child welfare notification can be found on the Finnish-language website: Child Welfare Emergency Department