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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...

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

Children, youth and families The MSAH is responsible for family policy as well as maintaining and developing the welfare of children, youth and families jointly with other ministries. The MSAH's scope of responsibility is particularly concerned wi...

Balancing family life and work Family leave and different organizational measures, such as flexible working hours can help balance work and family life. The Ministry of Social affairs and Health is responsible for developing financial benefits for...

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...

Reform encourages both parents to take family leave The Family leave reform entered into force on 1 August 2022. The number of parental leave days will increase and there will be more flexibility for parents to take leave. The reform aims to incre...

Responsibilities in preventing domestic and family in the Ministry’s branch of government The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) coordinates the nationwide work to prevent domestic and family violence. It also coordinates the network o...

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

14.9.2023 | World Patient Safety Day is celebrated every year on 17 September. The World Health Organization (WHO) chose “Engaging patients for patient safety” as this year’s theme. In Finland, the day is called Client and Patient Safety Day.

17.9.2021 | The Government has completed its proposal for the family leave reform, and the proposal will now proceed to Parliament for consideration as decided by the Government on 16 September. The reform is scheduled to enter into force on 1 August 2022.

13.1.2022 | The number of parental leave days will increase and there will be more flexibility for parents to take leave. The reform aims to increase equality in working life and between parents and to take better account of different types of families. The new types of parental leave will mainly apply to families where the child’s estimated date of birth is 4 September 2022 or later.   

16.2.2021 | The Government has completed and published its draft proposal for the family leave reform. The draft proposal will be circulated for comments between 19 February and 2 April 2021. 

13.1.2022 | New allowances for parents during family leaves 1 | • Pregnant women receive maternity allowance for 105 daily allowance days (approximately 4.2 months), fathers receive paternity allowance for 54 daily allowance days (approximately 9 weeks), and ...

19.3.2026 | Lapsinäkökulmainen arviointi ja työskentely vanhempien vaativissa erotilanteissa –hanke (LATVE) Valtion rahoittaman sosiaalityön yliopistollisen tutkimuksen (VTR) seminaari, sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö 20.3.2026 Merja Laitinen, professori, Lapi...

15.2.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 16 February 2021 Minister Aino-Kaisa Pekonen Family leave reform 15.2.20211 | • Same amount of leave per each child, irrespective of the type of the family • Non-discrimination and equality would increase •...

10.12.2025 | Vahvat rahataidot lapsiperheille – VaRa-intervention satunnaistettu kontrolloitu tutkimus VaRa VN/10969/2024 VÄLIRAPORTTI 25.9.2025 Dosentti Anniina Kaittila, VTT Katri Viitasalo Turun yliopisto, Sosiaalitieteiden laitos, Invest tutkimusyksikkö sa...

9.4.2026 | The Government is proposing changes aimed at preventing intentional misuse of social security, reducing incorrect social security payments and improving information exchange with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.

16.4.2026 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and labour market position of women with an immigrant background and to increase the participation of children in early childhood education and care.

17.2.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a proposal to amend the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and employment of women with an immigrant background and to implement the so‑called Norwegian model for child home care allowance, in line with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petter Orpo.

Department for Communities and Functional Capacity The Department for Communities and Functional Capacity is responsible for matters related to health and social services for children, young people and families, services for people with disabiliti...

Social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for Finland’s social policy and prepares legislation on social welfare. Social welfare covers promoting social security and wellbeing and taking care of social welfare duties...

Frequently asked questions concerning child welfare in Finland In Finland, child welfare services are based on the Child Welfare Act (417/2007) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Finnish Treaty Series 59–60/1991). The Child Welfare ...

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...

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...

Child welfare Shortly The objective of child welfare is to guarantee children’s right to a safe growth environment, development and special protection. The aim is to provide support at the earliest possible stage at schools and maternity and child...

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...

Preventing domestic and intimate partner violence The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for planning and guiding the prevention of domestic and family violence. The aim is to prevent violence and develop the nationwide service s...

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...

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, ...

The MSAH is responsible for preparing legislation on occupational safety and health care, and policy development on occupational safety and health and wellbeing at work.

8.1.2020 | A new calculator has been published for people who are planning to use family leave. With the calculator, they can assess how family leave periods of different lengths would affect their future pension and compare their pension accrual during family leave with what they would earn as pension if they worked the same period. The calculator, provided by the Finnish Centre for Pensions, is part of a project promoting gender equality in pensions.

Gender Equality Act promotes gender equality and prohibits gender-based discrimination In Finland, the Act on Equality between Women and Men, or the Gender Equality Act, lays down obligations to promote gender equality. The Ministry of Social Affa...

Housing allowance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and supervision of the housing allowance legislation. The Ministry of Education and Culture in turn is responsible for the housing supple...

The Child Strategy is Finland’s national long-term plan for strengthening the wellbeing and rights of children, young people and families with children.

Substance abuse and addiction prevention Shortly The goal of substance abuse and addiction prevention is to reduce harm and promote health, wellbeing and safety. The wellbeing services counties organise substance abuse prevention and provide healt...

Health and social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health sets the guidelines for developing health and social services, drafts the relevant legislation and guides the implementation of reforms. Legislation » Legislation on social and h...

Read more about working at the ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health employs approximately 440 people. Their jobs vary from Assistant to Permanent Secretary and from Specialist to Ministerial Adviser. Tasks are challenging and versati...

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...

Pensions The Finnish pension system is an important element in providing income security in old age the event of work incapacity in the event of the death of a breadwinner The MSAH is responsible for preparing pension legislation. Pension security...

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...

Social assistance Shortly Social assistance is a last-resort form of social security that secures the essential livelihood for an individual or a family when they cannot support themselves with other income or assets. It is a means-tested benefit,...

Client charges in healthcare and social welfare The Government guides and directs the policy on client charges in healthcare and social welfare through legislation. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that the charges are kept at a reasonable l...

Violence against children and its prevention The authorities work to prevent violence against children in many ways and in broad cooperation with various parties. The key national plans coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health incl...

Benefits for front veterans and war veterans Women and men who served in Finnish wars are entitles as war veterans to certain special state benefits. Veterans' benefits are intended to support living at home and facilitate procuring services for h...

NAPE – Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence The Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE) is responsible for the coordination,monitoring and evaluation of the measures required unde...

Preventing violence and crime The work against violence and crime requires broad-based cooperation between various parties. At the national level, the ministries and the agencies operating under them promote multidisciplinary work, for example, th...

Organisations and associations as part of the healthcare and social welfare system. There are more than 11,000 healthcare and social welfare organisations in Finland (2020). There are also a large number of organisations in the fields of sports, culture and rescue services.

Legislation on health and social services In Finland, the state's responsibility to promote welfare, health and security is rooted in the Constitution. This enshrines the right of everyone to income and to care, if they are unable to manage adequa...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Secu...

Gender equality The MSAH plays a key role in promoting gender equality by preparing legislation, monitoring the situation of gender equality nationwide, coordinating the development of activities on gender equality and promoting the implementation...

Social security and services for people applying for and receiving international protection in Finland People applying for international protection leave their home countries for various reasons, for example, to escape war, persecution or insecuri...

The Ministry as a workplace In the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, your work has a significant impact on society and it affects the lives of everyone living in Finland. You will participate in building a socially sustainable Finland, where ...

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...

Private providers of health and social services Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They op...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

Disability policy promotes equality Disability policy is made up of society’s actions and policies that ensure equal opportunities, rights and services in Finland for persons with disabilities. What are the principles of Finland’s disability polic...

Client and patient safety The safety of care and services is part of the overall quality of healthcare and social welfare. Safe care and services are evidence-based and effective. They are provided in the right way and at the right time. Client an...

National pension National pension can be paid to a person covered by the Finnish social security system who does not receive any earnings-related pension or whose earnings-related pension is small. Provisions on national pension are laid down in l...

Ministry personnel statistics We are satisfied with our work Based on our employee satisfaction survey, the personnel of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is particularly satisfied with the content and challenges of their jobs as well as t...

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...

Legislation on termination on pregnancy

Työryhmä käsittelee Petteri Orpon hallituksen ohjelman työelämän tasa-arvoa ja perhevapaita koskevia toimenpiteitä. Työryhmä keskittyy raskaus- ja perhevapaasyrjintään ja perhevapaisiin liittyviin kysymyksiin.

Working for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health All employment relationships in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health are public-service employment relationships. Public-service employment relationships always adhere to the Public Servan...

National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Cancer is a common disease in Finland. The number of cancer deaths in the country has fallen considerably over the past decades, and as many as two out of three people with cancer recover from the disease. Howeve...

Services and benefits for old people Shortly Social security for older people consists of healthcare and social welfare services and income security. The responsibility for organising these services lies with wellbeing services counties, which ass...

Social security reform Social security will be reformed during the ongoing parliamentary term through government projects and the work of the Social Security Committee. The aim of the social security reform is to make the social security system sm...

Private providers of health and social services, in other words companies, organisations and foundations, already account for about 22 per cent of the whole health and social services sector. They operate in both publicly and privately funded markets.

Gender Equality in working life Equality in working life must be promoted particularly in pay, working conditions, terms of employment, recruitment, career development, and reconciliation of work and family life. The Gender Equality Act obliges em...

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...

International examples to help Finland create governance model for wellbeing economy 4.12.2025 8.46 The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future gene...

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

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.

Earnings-related pension Earnings-related pension is paid to a person who has accrued pension according to his or her earnings either in an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur. The size of the earnings-related pension is determined accor...

General social security benefit The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a general social security benefit. The benefit would include a basic allowance for living, an allowance for housing costs and a discretionary allowance as last-...

The Advisory Board for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the national coordinating mechanism for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Its function is to promote national implementation of the Convention and to take into account the rights of persons with disabilities in all aspects of government. The Board operates under Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It consi...

17.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that seeks to prevent intentional misuse of social welfare benefits, reduce incorrect social welfare payments and promote information exchange with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Statements may be submitted until 28 January 2026.

13.2.2026 | Together Against Cancer – Human-Centred Cancer Prevention and Care National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Finland National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Contents Summary 3 Strategic objectives 5 Current situation and operating environment 6 Cancer in Finl...

8.10.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a proposal to amend the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. According to the proposal, child home care allowance could in future be granted after a minimum of three years’ residence in Finland. The amendment would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance as outlined in the Programme of Prime Minister Orpo's Government. The deadline for submitting comments is 20 November.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

The 11th annual Gender Equality Days (Tasa-arvopäivät) were organised on 8-9 October 2025 at the Clarion Hotel Aviapolis in Vantaa. 

27.2.2024 | 1 LATVE - Lapsinäkökulmainen arviointi ja työskentely vaativissa erotilanteissa Tutkimussuunnitelma: Tutkimusryhmä & Prof. Merja Laitinen, Lapin yliopisto (Lay) 1. Tarkoitus ja tavoitteet 1.1 Tutkimushankkeen merkitys sekä tutkimukselliset lähtöko...

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.

Korona-tiedonhallintaratkaisujen säädösvalmistelusta vastaava työryhmä STM056:00/2020 Statute drafting Current events Round for comments 26.5. – 1.6.2020 Lausuntokierros Documents Lausunto PDF Utlåtande från Ålands landskapsregering PDF Eduskunnan...

Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi lasten kotihoidon ja yksityisen hoidon tuesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ESITYKSEN PÄÄASIALLINEN SISÄLTÖ Esityksessä ehdotetaan muutettavaksi lasten kotihoidon ja yksityisen hoidon tuesta annettua lakia. Muut...

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

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.

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.

9.10.2025 | The Government proposes amendments to child welfare legislation The aim is to strengthen children’s right to special protection, clarify the use of educational practices and restrictions and improve the opportunities for child welfare services to ensure a safe everyday life for children. 

Hallituksen esitykseen kootaan sote-uudistuksesta johtuvat muuhun lainsäädäntöön tehtävät tekniset muutokset.

9.5.2022 | 1 Liite: HANKESUUNNITELMA Lastensuojelun asiantuntijuus maahanmuuttajalasten ja -perheiden sosiaalityössä (LAMPE) 1.10.2021-30.9.2023 Konsortio: Jyväskylän yliopisto/Kokkolan yliopistokeskus Chydenius, Turun yliopisto, Itä-Suo- men yliopisto, Siir...

18.4.2023 | Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturvan nykytila, haasteet ja tulevaisuus Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturva ja palvelut -työryhmän loppuraportti SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2023:2 Lasten ja perheiden sosiaaliturvan nykytila, haasteet ja tulevaisuu...

En jämnare fördelning av familjeledigheten är ofta det bästa för hela familjen Det nuvarande familjeledighetssystemet ger bättre möjligheter att dela jämnt på familjeledigheten, men trots det utnyttjar inte många familjer den här möjligheten. Mång...

18.2.2026 | 1 Joint conference statement Roma and Sinti Women in the Public Sphere: Turning Voices into Change 3 December 2025 I. Core values of equality and human rights We, the participants of the multi-country conference “Roma and Sinti Women in the Public...

28.6.2024 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2024–2027. The aim of the Equal Pay Programme is to further reduce the gender pay gap. In addition to the measures set out in the Programme, there are other measures underway to reduce the pay gap.

12.9.2024 | Discrimination on grounds of pregnancy is widespread in working life, according to a report commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from Statistics Finland. One in four pregnant people experience pregnancy discrimination in Finland.

30.6.2022 | 1 LIITE: TUTKIMUSSUUNNITELMA Neuropsykiatrisesti oireilevat nuoret palvelujen pyörteissä – sosiaalityön, nuorisopsykiatrian ja erityispedagogiikan yhteistutkimus, NEPSOS 1.1. Hankkeen merkitys suhteessa nykytietämykseen sekä tutkimukselliset lähtö...

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.

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...

Biopankkilakia ehdotetaan muutettavaksi vastaamaan vaatimuksia, jotka johtuvat EU:n yleisestä tietosuoja-asetuksesta. Lisäksi biopankkilakiin tehtäisiin muusta lainsäädännöstä, kuten sote-sääntelystä, aiheutuvat tekniset muutokset. Laajasta biopankkilain kokonaisuudistus on esityksen valmistelun yhteydessä luovuttu.