1. Lastensuojelun polku Path of child welfare

2. Societies are different Ways and models of operation are different due to different historical and cultural reasons –Factors explaining the development in Finland include e.g. strong traditions of women participating in work life quick social change impact of the Evangelic- Lutheran religion

3. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

4. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

5. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

6. Main principles of child welfare The first consideration is the best interest of the child. –If the best interests of the child and of parents are contradictory, it is the best interest of the child that counts. A child is entitled to participate in decisions concerning his own life –participation in accordance with his age and level of development Parents bear the main responsibility for their children and their upbringing

7. Main principles of child welfare The society shall support parents in their duty of upbringing. A family and a child shall be supported primarily in their own living environment –all authorities shall develop the growing conditions of children Support needed by a family shall be provided without delay to ease the situation in the family and avoid the need for long-term care.

8. Social work in child welfare helping work as a process –takes always time and may be a process of long duration helping work in co-operation with the client 1.evaluation of the situation and need 2.search for a change 3.appropriate measures

9. Child welfare notification authorities have the duty to notify social and health care school the Police the Finnish Church etc. a private person can make a child welfare notification –a relative, neighbour etc. –indication of identity is not obligatory but recommendable

10. Duty to take measures The Child Welfare Act obligates social authorities to take immediate actions –if the health or development of a child or a young person are endangered or not safeguarded by his growing environment –if a child or young person endangers his own health or development by his behaviour

11. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL - BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

12. Starting the work Examination of the situation –a home visit or invitation to the office –generally with the work partner worker from the family shelter social worker of the Police gang worker The objective is to make the family and young person realise and think about the situation.

13. Co-operation with the family The following will be defined together –what has happened –what issues are problematic –what kind of help the parents feel to need to be able to act as responsible parents Possible future measures are agreed upon together

14. Lasten suojelu INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

15. Support measures of open care Support measures of open care are given the priority The law obligates municipalities to organise open care support measures to families with children

16. Network meeting Always involved –parents ( and children ) –social worker from child welfare and according to the need and problem also –representative of the close network (grandmother, friend etc. ) –worker from the A clinic –worker from the family support centre –therapist from the mental health centre –representative of the child’s school –etc.

17. Objectives of network meeting to hear the opinions of different parties about the situation –possibility of concealing and underestimation is minimised –all parties get a comprehensive, joint view –support and expertise of all parties can be utilised close network authorities

18. Objectives of network meeting to define the need for support based on different views, from the viewpoint of the best interest of the child to define the objectives of work to choose the means to agree on distribution of work to agree on monitoring

19. Care plan Child welfare work is planned and objective- oriented A written plan is drawn up for the child / young person, which –defines the objectives of work –agrees on the means and necessary support measures –agrees on distribution of work responsibility of parents responsibility of the young person –agrees on monitoring and evaluation

20. Support measures of open care The law obligates the municipalities to organise open care support measures for families with children Open care support measures are given the priority

21. Support measures of open care financial support, assistance in finding an apartment… a support person or support family –positive, guiding human relationships –based on voluntariness therapy services

22. Support measures of open care family care or institutional care based on open care –in some situations upbringing of a child can be best supported by placing him in another family or in an institution –requires always consent from the custodian requires unanimity regarding the necessity –of fixed term for a child under 12 years if the child is placed alone The term of 3 months can be extended for a period of another 3 months if there are special grounds when placed together with a parent there is no fixed term

23. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

24. A child shall be taken into care, if 1.a. his health of development is seriously endangered by lack of care or other conditions at home b. if the child endangers his health or development –by abuse of intoxicants –by committing an illegal act other than a minor offence –in some other corresponding way HuostaanottoTaking into care

25. 2. the measures of open care are not appropriate or have proved to be inadequate 3. substitute care is considered to be the best interest of the child All conditions shall be fulfilled before a child can be taken into care If the conditions are fulfilled, the authorities are obligated to take the child into care Taking into care

26. The heaviest measure in child welfare –interferes with the protected circle of family –social authorities have the right to decide on living of the child care and upbringing of the child supervision of the child –the objective is to co-operate with the parents

27. Taking into care with the consent taking into care takes place with the consent of a child who has attained the age of 12 –parents and a child older than 12 years shall be officially heard (in writing) family placement as a primary alternative drawing up of a care plan –objectives, means, evaluation and monitoring

28. Compulsory taking into care If a child who has attained the age of 12 or his parents oppose taking into care or related placement in substitute care the decision on taking into care shall be made by the basic services board / social welfare board it will be submitted to the Provincial Administrative Court for approval

29. Emergency care order If a child is in imminent danger, the authorities shall take immediate measures to protect him –also without the consent of the parents and/or the child

30. Continuation of co-operation Taking into care of the child does not stop the work to rectify the conditions of the parent/parents. –a rehabilitation plan for the parents The child shall be returned to home and the child shall be discharged from care if the need for care no longer applies

31. Termination of care the child attains the age of eighteen or concludes marriage the child shall be discharged from care if the need for care no longer applies if termination of care is not clearly opposed to the best interest of the child

32. Child welfare INFLUENCING GENERAL GROWING CONDITIONS FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL – BASED CHILD WELFARE SUPPORT TO CUSTODIANS IN UPBRINGING OF THE CHILD OPEN CARE TAKING INTO CARE AND SUBSTITUTE CARE AFTER-CARE

33. After-care After termination of substitute care the child and his parents shall be provided after-care –to ensure that the child who has been taken into care will manage in normal life continuation of the same work process – open care support measures if necessary

34. The objective is to create a change towards a better life Are the parents and the child / young person able to see the need for change? Are they willing to receive help? Will there be a sufficient change? Is the change sufficiently permanent?