Substitute care in child welfare
Substitute care means organizing the care and upbringing of a child who has been taken into care or emergency placement, outside of the home. Taking a child into care is the last resort when safeguarding a child’s growth and development.
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Taking a child into care is a measure that strongly intervenes in the rights a child has according to the Constitution and in the protection of family life that is guaranteed by the European convention on human rights.
A child is taken into care and placed in substitute care only if the circumstances in the home or the child’s own behaviour are a serious threat to the child’s health or development. A child can be taken into care and placed in substitute care only if support measures in open care have not been possible, suitable or if they have been found to be insufficient. It must also be assessed that substitute care is in the best interest of the child.
The purpose of substitute care is to safeguard the child’s balanced development and well-being in accordance with the child’s individual needs. Substitute care can be arranged for a child as family care, as institutional care or in some other way that is in accordance with the child’s needs.
Taking into care is in effect until further notice. The goal with the work during the time a child is taken into care is to reunify the family. The taking into care ends at the latest when the child turns 18.
Contact by phone
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Child welfare in Lestijokilaakso
Call: +358 40 804 2720Call: +358 40 804 4720Call: +358 40 804 3642Service hoursService hours
Tue–Thu 12:00–13:00
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Service hours
Service hours
Tue–Thu 12:00–13:00
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Child welfare unit Saraste
Call: +358 40 804 2285
Service points
Information about the service
Child welfare foster care refers to the arrangement of the care and upbringing of a child who has been taken into care outside their home.
The purpose of foster care is to safeguard the balanced development and wellbeing of the child. Foster care can be provided as family care, in an institution or otherwise in accordance with the child’s needs. When organising foster care, the child’s opinion must be taken into account whenever possible. The child also has the right to contact their parents and other people close to them during their foster care. This right may only be restricted if it will jeopardise the realisation of the purpose of the foster care or otherwise prove harmful to the child.
In exceptional cases, a child who has been taken into foster care can also be placed with their parent or other guardian for a maximum period of six months, for example when preparing for their return home after their foster care.
The wellbeing services county that placed the child is responsible for the organisation and costs of the foster care. In practice, this is usually the wellbeing services county where the child’s municipality of residence is located.