Vantaa and Kerava ordered to resolve child protection staff shortage by August 2024

By admin On Dec 23, 2023

Family with their child. LEHTIKUVA

The Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency has issued a mandate, reinforced by a 700,000 euro fine, for the Vantaa and Kerava welfare area to ensure adequate staffing in child protection social work by August 9, 2024. This directive comes in response to a critical shortage of social welfare professionals in child and family services, leading to children waiting to access child protection services.

The lack of sufficient professional staff in the welfare area has resulted in significant delays for children needing child protection services. The agency’s decision, made on December 15, 2023, requires that by August 9, 2024, each child protection social worker in the area must handle a maximum of 35 children, as stipulated by child protection law. Furthermore, the agency mandates the immediate and need-based allocation of children to appropriate child protection services and the assignment of a dedicated social worker for every child requiring such services.

Vantaa and Kerava welfare area must submit a report to the Southern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency by August 30, 2024, detailing the situation and actions taken to comply with the mandate.

The agency had previously monitored the City of Vantaa for compliance with child and family social work services. Since January 1, 2023, the Vantaa and Kerava welfare area has been responsible for organizing social and health services. Concerns about the welfare area’s lapses were raised in a public opinion piece in Helsingin Sanomat, highlighting the plight of children waiting for child protection services without being under any social worker’s care. Additionally, a formal complaint (ESAVI/16595/2023) was filed regarding the shortage of social workers and the resultant queuing of children for services.

Despite the welfare area’s claim of having adequate social worker positions, they have struggled to fill these vacancies. The agency has taken this action to ensure that the Vantaa and Kerava welfare area addresses the staffing crisis and fulfills its legal obligations to protect the rights and well-being of children and families in need of child protection services.

Social workers play a crucial role in safeguarding the legal rights and well-being of children in child protection cases. The legislation mandates that the regional state administrative agency guide and supervise welfare areas to ensure the rights of children and families requiring social welfare and child protection services are realized as per client law, social welfare law, and child protection law.

This mandate underscores the importance of adequately staffing child protection services to ensure the timely and effective support of vulnerable children, aligning with Finland’s commitment to child welfare and protection.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi