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The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health provides overall guidance and prepares legislation on student health care in secondary and higher education.

Mental health services The aim of mental health work is to strengthen people's good mental health and to reduce factors that undermine it. This work includes activities to promote mental health and prevent mental health disorders, as well as menta...

School health care is part of school welfare services, which also include the services of school social workers and psychologists.

Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising health, social and rescue services Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising healthcare, social welfare and rescue services in Finland. There are 21 wellbeing serv...

Services to families Services aimed at families support parents or other guardians in their efforts to ensure the well-being and good upbringing of children. Early childhood education and care Finnish early childhood education and care combines ed...

Maternity and child health clinics Maternity and child health services are offered for all pregnant parents, families that are expecting a baby and children before school age and their parents. The functions of the maternity and child health clini...

Finnish social security system The Finnish social security system includes benefits and support that protect people’s livelihoods, as well as the provision of health and social services and employment services. Social security provides income secu...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman The Finns Party Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman is responsible for all other matters covered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, ...

Conscripts allowance and other armed service benefits The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning conscripts allowance. Conscripts and civilian servicemen as well as their family...

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulate...

Primary healthcare Health and social services centres are the nearest and most familiar care facilities to residents, providing many of the healthcare services organised by the wellbeing services counties. Health and social services centres provid...

Legislation concerning children, young people and families Family leaves Family leaves are regulated in the Employment Contracts Act. The Act contains provisions on the rights of parents to take leave for family reasons. Employment Contracts Act 5...

Legislation concerning income security The Finnish Constitution guarantees the right of all people living in Finland to Adequate social and health services Basic income security Essential subsistence and care. There is a range of legislation gover...

Good Work Programme – Creating more appeal and staying power in the healthcare and social welfare sector Mounting service needs driven by an ageing Finnish population, higher rates of chronic diseases, evolving expectations and new technologies – ...

Key areas of participation and inclusion The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health works to strengthen inclusion and social wellbeing and to reduce inequality. Social exclusion and poverty are prevented by strengthening people’s inclusion and abil...

Open positions and the Ministry as a workplace On this page Open positions Trainee positions at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Ministry as a workplace Service relationship, working hours, pay, and general collective agreements Well-...

Income security A central feature of welfare and social security is to provide support to people in vulnerable situations. Legislation » Legislation concerning income security. Finnish social security system » The Finnish social security system in...

30.6.2022 | 1 HAKEMUS VALTIONAVUSTUKSEN SAAMISEKSI SOSIAALITYÖN YLIOPISTOTASOISELLE TUTKIMUSHANKKEELLE VUODEN 2022 HAKU Hakija Hankkeen hallinnoinnista vastaava organisaatio Jyväskylän yliopisto Sähköposti (kirjaamo tai vastaava) kirjaamo(at)jyu.fi Postiosoit...

Support and benefits The Finnish social protection system includes various forms of financial support and benefits designed to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part in working life and society in general. Children and parentho...

Survivors’ pension When a death occurs in a family, the income of the widow and the children is secured with a survivors’ pension, which can be a spouse’s pension or an orphan’s pension. The purpose of the survivors’ pension under the earnings-rel...

In accordance with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Orpo's Government, solving the shortage of personnel threatening the availability of services in the welfare society requires both short-term and long-term measures. The Good Work Programme will be launched to ensure the sufficiency and availability of personnel in the health, social services and rescue services sectors.

27.11.2025 | The Government has issued a decree which determines the amount of the healthcare fee, the late payment fee and the fee for an unattended appointment charged from higher education students in 2026.

22.12.2025 | The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulated in future by government decree. Upper secondary level student health checks and preliminary health examinations for compulsory military service will be combined, and an electronic health questionnaire will be introduced.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes to update legislation on children and young people’s health checks. Under the proposal, the timing and content of health checks in child health clinics, school and student healthcare, and oral healthcare would in future be regulated in a government decree instead of an act. The health check in student healthcare at upper secondary level would be combined with the pre-conscription health examination, and an electronic health questionnaire would be introduced. 

14.1.2026 | Gendered vulnerabilities of boys and young men must be taken into account when planning education and health and social services. The latest report calls for a shift from gender neutrality to gender-sensitive policymaking that recognises differences between genders and identifies specific needs. It proposes that raising competence levels and preventing violence should be set as shared national goals across all work with children and young people.

9.5.2022 | 1 Monikielisyys ja kielellinen haavoittuvuus sosiaalityön digitalisoituvilla kentillä (SOSKIELI) Konsortiohankkeen osapuolet: Åbo Akademi ja Helsingin yliopisto Vastuullinen tutkija (PI): VTT, dosentti Camilla Nordberg 1. Tutkimuksen tarkoitus ja ...

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

15.1.2026 | The changes to be made to social assistance will, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The overall reform of social assistance aims to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

21.5.2025 | The employment rate of registered nurses and practical nurses is high, with more than 90 per cent of graduates finding work in the social welfare and health care sector. Unemployed nurses cannot be relied on to respond to the future labour shortage in the sector. People who have sought employment in other sectors represent the most significant resource of unutilised workforce. Some relief can also be provided by pensioners for whom working is increasingly common.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes a comprehensive reform of social assistance. The changes to be made would, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The aim is to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

23.11.2023 | The healthcare fee for students in higher education will be EUR 73.60 and the late-payment fee EUR 5 in 2024. The fee charged for an unattended appointment will be EUR 56.70, i.e. the same as in other health and social services.

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

23.9.2024 | The two memorandums published on 23 September 2024 assess the combined impacts of the changes to income security that the Government is preparing or implementing for the years 2024–2025.

17.11.2022 | The healthcare fee charged from higher education students for using student healthcare services will be EUR 73.60, or EUR 36.80 per term, in 2023. Compared to 2022, the fee will increase by EUR 2 to improve the availability of services. The late payment fee and the charge for an unattended appointment will remain unchanged.

23.11.2023 | The minimum staffing level for care personnel in units providing 24-hour care for older people will rise from the current minimum level of 0.65 employees per client to 0.7 employees per client on 1 January 2028. During the transition period, the service structure will be developed and a number of measures will be taken to improve the availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel. 

9.10.2023 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Student Healthcare for Higher Education Students and the Act on the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. The Student Healthcare Act would be harmonised with the relevant EU Regulation in respect of reimbursements regarding students from certain European countries, and the provisions of the Act on the financial process would be specified.

10.1.2023 | Different ways of organising social security have been examined as part of the preparation of the social security reform. The report on alternative ways of organising social security, which was made by a working group consisting of researchers and experts, was published on Tuesday 10 January 2023.

12.11.2020 | The current epidemiological situation is characterised by rapid regional developments. Finland still has good opportunities to keep the situation relatively stable by international comparison. This requires that people continue to stay alert and patiently follow the guidelines and recommendations issued by the authorities. We should not be lulled into thinking that the epidemic will end quickly.

3.12.2020 | The coronavirus situation is rapidly worsening in Finland. Over the past two weeks, the number and incidence of cases has risen sharply in almost all regions. This development calls for an immediate and proactive response.

9.10.2023 | The Finnish Government proposes about EUR 16.2 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2024. This is slightly over EUR 134 million more than in the 2023 Budget. The increase is due to needs assessment changes in pensions, for example, and to the implementation of reforms set out in the Government Programme.

8.10.2020 | The weekly number of new COVID-19 cases has increased significantly in Finland over the past month. The incidence of cases is growing sharply and the percentage of positive samples of those tested continues to increase. The source of infection is unknown in more than half of all new cases.

25.4.2022 | The European Commission adopted an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child in spring 2021, recommending that Member States introduce a European Child Guarantee. The Child Guarantee seeks to support particularly vulnerable children and their families, and to help channel investment in child wellbeing. Finland is realising the Child Guarantee as part of work related to the National Child Strategy, which has aligned with policies of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child from the very outset.

30.9.2021 | In Finland, 83.8 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, have received at least their first vaccine dose, and 69.7 per cent also their second vaccine dose. Between 22 and 29 September, the uptake of the first vaccine dose grew by 0.4 percentage points and the uptake of the second dose by 2.5 percentage points.

9.10.2023 | According to a government proposal submitted to Parliament today, the maximum waiting time for access to non-urgent care in primary healthcare would continue to be 14 days. In other words, the maximum waiting time guarantee that entered into force on 1 September 2023 would remain in force.

8.3.2023 | Genome strategy Content Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 3 STRATEGIC GOAL 1: Finland makes use of its unique prerequisites in re...

11.6.2020 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT | Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki, PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland Prime Minister Marin’s Government decides basis for health and social services reform The Government has finalised the policy outlines for the health and so...

9.12.2025 | Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:s konvention om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning (2020–2023) SOCIAL- OCH HÄLSOVÅRDSMINISTERIETS PUBLIKATIONER 2023:25 Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:...

11.2.2020 | The National Mental Health Strategy includes five focus areas and will lay the foundation for the mental health policy of the coming years. The strategy was published on 11 February, when the expert group chaired by Professor Sami Pirkola submitted the strategy to Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru.

5.6.2020 | Reform of health, social and rescue services Policy outlines of the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru Press conference on 5 June 2020 About the reform • Reduce inequ...

9.10.2020 | A People-centred Perspective on Employment Barriers and Policies FACES OF JOBLESSNESS IN FINLAND 2  This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of interna...

27.4.2015 | Well-being through nutrition A guide for municipal decision-makers Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................

4.12.2017 | The Equality Act – Promoting gender equality and preventing discrimination The Equality Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity and gender expression and obliges to promote gender equality. The Equality Act applies as ...