Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults

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.

These amendments were ratified by the President of the Republic on Monday 22 December 2025. They affect the Health Care Act, the Conscription Act, the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data in the Defence Forces. and the Student Welfare Act.

Electronic health questionnaires in student healthcare from autumn 2026

An electronic health questionnaire will be introduced at the beginning of September 2026 to help healthcare professionals assess the need for student health checks and their timing. The health questionnaire will facilitate targeting of health checks for secondary school students according to individual needs and urgency.

Responses to the questionnaire will serve as a basis for arranging health checks for students of compulsory school age in either the first or second year of secondary school. Health checks will be conducted for students over the age of 18 years where the need arises. Irrespective of the electronic health questionnaire, students will be free to contact the student healthcare service in accordance with the Student Welfare Act.

Preliminary health checks by the Defence Forces will be included in the student health care check for 18-year-old upper secondary students. Health checks and the associated assessment of fitness for service will be conducted at the same time for the entire age group from 2027 onwards. Women will be asked to give special consent to the inclusion of a fitness for service assessment in the health check. Preliminary health checks in student healthcare will be conducted by the wellbeing services county for the student's educational institution. The electronic health questionnaire will also be used when preparing a proposal for a fitness for service assessment.

Content and timing of health checks to be specified by decree

Legislation provides for the inclusion of health checks in child health clinics, schools and student healthcare. The number, timing and content of health checks will be specified by decree.

A Government Decree on child health clinic services and school and student healthcare is scheduled for adoption on 30 December 2025.

This decree will specify that fifteen checks at child health clinics and three oral health checks will continue to be arranged for children under school age. The oral health checks will be conducted for children aged 1, 3 and 5 years, with an additional assessment of oral health by a public health nurse at the age of 6 months.

School health checks will be conducted by year group. Oral health checks will be arranged at the ages of 7, 9, 12 and 15 years, with at least one such check conducted by a dentist.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will arrange a webinar in early 2026 to provide further details of the amended legislation.

Inquiries:

Pia Suvivuo, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 3517
Tiina Louhi, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 3104 (school and student healthcare)
Laura Olkkonen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 3059 (child health clinics)
Merja Auero, Senior Ministerial Advisor, tel. +358 29 516 3304, merja-liisa.auero(at)gov.fi (oral health care)

Email addresses are [email protected].