Children’s rights and best interests are not realised in contentious divorces

A report commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health discusses how society could better support children in contentious divorces and custody disputes. The report gives 31 recommendations for improving the situation.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has commissioned a report on how society could better support children in contentious divorces and custody disputes. The report was submitted to Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen on Thursday 6 March 2025. 

According to the report, the rights of the child are not realised in custody disputes, nor are decisions always in the best interests of the child. The services and support offered to parents are also insufficient. Information for the report was collected from professionals working in the healthcare and social welfare sector, courts of law, and forensic psychology and psychiatry units for children. The report also made extensive use of research data.   

“I would like to thank the rapporteurs for their thorough work. According to the report, it is too often the case in the most difficult divorces that children remain invisible and their best interests are overshadowed by their parents’ problems and conflicts. It is therefore necessary to reform services and legislation in order to protect children’s right to a safe and happy childhood, “says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. 

Report includes 31 proposals for reforming services and legislation 

The report includes 31 proposals for improving the position of children in contentious divorces. The proposals made by the rapporteurs concern preventing contentious divorces, improving the position and rights of the child, ensuring the support needed by parents, developing legal processes and legislation, clarifying powers, developing service paths, preventing violence and strengthening competence. 

“We are already making good progress on some of these proposals, such as the reform of child maintenance allowance. The Government is committed to strengthening children’s rights in their parents’ contentious divorces,” says Grahn-Laasonen.

The report is based on the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government and on the implementation plan for the National Child Strategy. Based on the report, the ministerial working group on children, youth and families will make decisions on the reform of services and legislation.  

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters had the main responsibility for drawing up the report. The monitoring group appointed for the report included representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Justice, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the National Police Board, the National Courts Administration and the Office of the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman.    

Inquiries: 

Johanna Vaitomaa, Senior Specialist, Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters, tel. +358 40 768 7316, johanna.vaitomaa(at)etkl.fi 

Riitta Särkelä, sosiaalineuvos (Finnish honorary title), DSocSc, tel. +358 50 63663, riitta.sarkela(at)outlook.com 

Marjo Malja, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 581, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi 

Niilo Heinonen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163 603, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi