Haku

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...

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.

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...

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. Act on Equality Between Women and Men, i....

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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 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...

3.5.2023 | An informal meeting of EU employment and social affairs ministers will take place in Stockholm on 3–4 May 2023 and an informal meeting of EU health ministers on 4–5 May 2023. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru will represent Finland at the meetings.

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...

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 ...

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.   

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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,...

Legislation on termination on pregnancy

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...

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...

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. 

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-...

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.

11.6.2020 | The coronavirus outbreak in spring has changed everyday routines. After the initial shock, some people are even better than before. For others, a possible new wave of the virus and their own future may be frightenining and a source of anxiety. Managing daily life may be difficult.

13.12.2023 | The parliamentary Social Security Committee will meet for the first time during its second term on Thursday 14 December 2023.

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...

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 •...

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...

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. 

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.

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 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.

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...

2.6.2023 | SUOMEN SÄÄDÖSKOKOELMAN SOPIMUS SARJA Julkaistu Helsingissä 31 päivänä toukokuuta 2016 (Suomen säädöskokoelman n:o 398/2016) Valtioneuvoston asetus 27/2016 vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksista tehdyn yleissopimuksen ja sen valinnaisen pöytäkir- jan v...

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.

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.

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...

23.9.2024 | The Finnish Government proposes about EUR 15.2 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2025. This is about EUR 1.1 billion less than in 2024.

7.11.2023 | Matti Väliahdet from Rovaniemi, Christopher Gullmans from Espoo and Janne Saarela from Seinäjoki were today awarded the Father of the Year prize. The prize was presented to the winners by Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

27.2.2024 | 1 Sosiaalityöntekijä palveluiden valitsijana, päätöksentekijänä ja valvojana lastensuojelun avo- huollossa (VALITSIJA) Vastuuhenkilö: Sosiaalityön professori Johanna Kallio Konsortio: Turun, Itä-Suomen ja Helsingin yliopiston sosiaalityön oppiaine...

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...

7.2.2024 | Finland is currently participating in the 62nd session of the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD62) that is held in New York. The Finnish delegation is led by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso.

16.4.2026 | 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...

29.8.2024 | Privacy policy – Gender Equality Barometer The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has commissioned Statistics Finland to carry out a survey on gender equality in Finland. The survey will provide information about perceived equality in different...

9.11.2022 | Kai Rinkinen from Rovaniemi, Jere Jokinen from Kerava and Janne Pihanperä from Masku were today awarded the Father of the Year Prize. The Prize was presented by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen

10.1.2023 | SOSIAALITURVAKOMITEAN JULKAISUJA 2020:7 Tuomo Alasoini, Matti Joensuu, Pirjo Juvonen-Posti, Noora Järnefelt, Aart-Jan Riekho , Pauliina Toivio, Jarno Turunen Työelämän ja työmarkkinoiden muutos Haasteita ja kehittämistarpeita sosiaaliturvan uudist...

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 ...

9.5.2022 | Tutkimussuunnitelma HYVÄÄ JÄLKEÄ – JÄLKIHUOLTO SIIRTYMÄNÄ JA AIKUISTUMISEN TUKENA UUDISTUVASSA PALVELUJÄRJESTELMÄSSÄ Hyvää jälkeä -hanke on Tampereen yliopiston, Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulun ja SOS-Lapsikylän tutkimus- ja kehittämishanke. Hankkeess...

8.2.2024 | 1 (4) Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Meritullinkatu 8, Helsinki | PO Box 33, FI-00023 Government, Finland +358 295 16001, stm.fi/en, @MSAH_News Privacy policy – Survey on discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy The Ministry of Social Aff...

30.6.2022 | VTR-haku, VN/4482/2022 Tutkimussuunnitelma 11.5.2022 1 Asiakirjat osallisuuden ja asiakasturvallisuuden takaajina lapsille tarkoitetuissa palveluissa (ASTULA-hanke) Hankkeen tutkijat: Aino Kääriäinen, Raija Kuronen ja Noora Mäkinen Helsingin yliop...

16.4.2026 | Regeringens proposition till riksdagen med förslag till lagar om ändring av lagen om underhållsstöd, lagen om underhåll för barn och 13 § i lagen om inkomstdatasystemet PROPOSITIONENS HUVUDSAKLIGA INNEHÅLL I denna proposition föreslås det att lage...

5.8.2022 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of about EUR 15.8 billion for the Ministry and its administrative branch for 2023. This is about EUR 0.2 billion less than in the 2022 Budget. The decrease is mainly due to the end of the Government Programme projects and changes in the needs assessment.

9.5.2022 | 1 Asiakassegmentointi ja päihteitä ongelmallisesti käyttävien palvelut - paraneeko vaikuttavuus? PI: Katja Kuusisto Sosiaalityön dosentti, apulaisprofessori (1.8.2021 lähtien) Tampereen yliopisto (TAU) Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta (SOC) 14.5.20...

26.3.2024 | Finland’s social security reform aims to streamline and simplify the social security system and to introduce more incentives for work. During this parliamentary term, the social security reform will include both government projects and the work of the Social Security Committee.

17.9.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 17 September 2021 Minister Hanna Sarkkinen Minister Tuula Haatainen Family leave reform 1 | #perhevapaauudistus #familyleavereform • Significant investment in families with children • More flexibility and f...

17.9.2021 | Press conference on family leave reform, 17 September 2021 Minister Hanna Sarkkinen Minister Tuula Haatainen Family leave reform 1 | #perhevapaauudistus #familyleavereform • Significant investment in families with children • More flexibility and f...

9.5.2022 | 1 KUNNALLINEN TOIMEENTULOTUKI EHKÄISEVÄN LASTENSUOJELUN VÄLINEENÄ 1. TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET 1.1. Tutkimuksen lähtökohdat Mitä enemmän kunnassa on sosiaalisissa riskitilanteissa eläviä kansalaisia (kuten työttömiä, matalasti koulutettuja ja epävak...

27.2.2024 | Tutkimussuunnitelma Leo Nyqvist 1 Digitaalisen väkivallan tunnistaminen ja siihen puuttuminen sosiaalityössä (DIGISOS) 1. Tarkoitus ja tavoitteet 1.1. Tutkimushankkeen merkitys suhteessa nykytietämykseen sekä tutkimukselliset lähtökoh- dat Lähisuh...

9.5.2022 | 1 Vuoden 2021 yliopistotasoisen tutkimuksen hankehaku Hankkeen johtaja: Kirsi Juhila Hankkeen valmistellut tutkimusryhmä: Kirsi Juhila, Päivikki Kuoppakangas, Veera Niemi, Jenni Mäki, Johanna Ranta, Jarkko Rasinkangas, Jari Stenvall Hankkeen toteu...

11.2.2020 | How can workplaces ensure that mental health resources are valued and colleagues are supported if they have encountered problems? How can workplaces nurture and strengthen their employees’ mental health?

19.5.2020 | The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has updated its guidelines for elderly people to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

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...

2.6.2023 | FINLANDS FÖRFATTNINGSSAMLINGS FÖRDRAGSSERIE Utgiven i Helsingfors den 31 maj 2016 (Finlands författningssamlings nr 398/2016) Statsrådets förordning 27/2016 om sättande i kraft av konventionen om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsätt- ning...

19.10.2023 | The Government decided on 19 October 2023 to change the composition and duties of the Social Security Committee for the remainder of the Committee’s term.

28.5.2020 | Additional discretionary government transfers will be granted to respond to the need for psychosocial support caused, in particular, by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. Funding will also be granted for the development of digital services. Emphasis is placed on measures that can be introduced quickly and that respond to sudden changes in the operating environment.

5.6.2020 | In accordance with the principles of the Social Security Committee, all those involved in the Committee’s work must have at their disposal the same information about social security. This places the preparation and decision-making processes related to the reform on an equal footing. We want also other people to be able to monitor and assess the preparation and decision-making concerning the reform on the basis of the same information.

19.2.2021 | The amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act have been approved, and they will enter into force on 22 February 2021. They will strengthen the possibilities of local and regional authorities to take proactive and swift measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most of the amendments will remain in force until 30 June 2021. 

9.5.2022 | 1 Research plan / Tutkimussuunnitelma Evidencing the Effectiveness of Health Social Work Assessment and Interventions Terveyssosiaalityön arvioinnin ja intervention vaikuttavuus näkyväksi (Sostyö-TerVa) 1. Aim and objectives 1.1 Significance of re...

20.2.2020 | Committee work brings facts and contradictions into the open. Specifying different perspectives and values serves as a model even for other societal discussions.

14.8.2019 | MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HEALTH stm.fi/en I @MSAH_News I #EU2019FI Child and family policy in Finland Child welfare and care The aim of Finland’s family policy is to create a safe environment for children to grow up in and to pro- vide paren...

6.11.2017 | Early childhood is full of new things, of joy, confusion, fatigue, and love. Family leaves are fathers’ right. They offer an opportunity to fathers to share everyday life with their children. It is important to use this opportunity as a man grows into fatherhood in interaction with his child.

5.6.2020 | The proposal aims to strengthen the financial position of people in need of unemployment security in a situation where many have become unemployed or have been laid off.

11.10.2022 | Report of the working group on the use of iodine in the event of a radiation hazard situation STM 2022 Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................

20.12.2022 | From 1 January 2023 onwards, the wellbeing services counties must provide necessary non-urgent healthcare services for undocumented persons and persons whose status resembles that of an undocumented person. 

16.3.2023 | The Social Security Committee’s interim report was published on Thursday 16 March 2023. The report includes 31 proposals for reforming social security under future governments and the policy guidelines for the Committee’s work during its second term.

28.5.2020 | I have launched a reform of the Act on Social Assistance and appointed a working group to carry it out. Now is the right time for reform. We have been gathering experiences from the transfer of basic social assistance to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) over the past few years. In doing so, we have found several areas that need fixing.

20.12.2021 | The objective of the description of the enterprise architecture for promoting health and wellbeing is to support the development of digital services that are reliable, accessible and easy to find. Meeting this objective requires a common view and a framework for national, regional and local cooperation.

25.7.2017 | In May 2017, a two-day event focusing on gender equality was organised for Roma women and men as part of the project Building a Roma Platform financed by the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the EU.

2.11.2020 | 1+MillionGenomes Roadmap 2020-2022 Summary of the roadmap document adopted on 4 February 2020 by the signatories of the Declaration Towards access to at least 1 million sequenced genomes in the EU by 2022 1+MillionGenomes Understanding the role of...

10.12.2018 | Economy and Gender Equality in the Nordic Countries A Selection of Good Nordic Practices This fact sheet focuses on one of the most challenging areas of gender equality in the Nordic countries: economy and gender. The Nordic countries score high o...

19.12.2018 | Economy and Gender Equality in the Nordic Countries A Selection of Good Nordic Practices This fact sheet focuses on one of the most challenging areas of gender equality in the Nordic countries: economy and gender. The Nordic countries score high o...

1.6.2018 | 1 Inkeri Tanhua Gender equality and Nordic welfare societies 2 Contents Gender equality and Nordic welfare societies Introduction.........................................................................................................................

20.12.2018 | Cultural Well-Being in South Savo Project Coordinator Taru Tähti The Regional Council of South Savo * The County of South Savo 148 975 inhabitants 14 municipalities: 1. Mikkeli 54 517 14. Enonkoski 1 453 The Regional Council of South Savo is a pub...

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 ...

24.6.2021 | People in designing work and the working environment A handbook for the proactive planning of work and design of working environments 2People in designing work and the working environment Version 1.3 June | 2021 People in designing work and the wo...

18.12.2020 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2020–2023. The Equal Pay Programme aims to reduce the average pay gap between women and men. The aims would be achieved through agreement and pay policies, development of pay systems, harmonising work and family life, and reducing gender segregation in working life.

19.12.2018 | Nordic Future of Work Conference The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspectives Helsinki 1 Nordic Future of Work Conference I The Future of Work and new Forms of Work from the Global and the Nordic Perspective...

19.12.2018 | Report from the side-event YOUNG NORDIC VOICES: how do I shape my future? Side-event during the session of the Nordic Council 30 October 2017, Helsinki Part of the Finnish priority project “Norden 2020” OCT OBE R 30#N O R D E N 20 20 INTRODUCTION ...