Kids Suffer as Services Cut

About one decade ago, around 10,000 kids in Finland were recipients of non-institutional child welfare services. Now, the number is 60,000.

Meanwhile, some 12,000 children were living in institutions or with foster families. That number has grown to over 16,000. Furthermore, the number of 16 and 17 year olds who are placed with an emergency guardian has doubled in five years.

Seppo Sauro of the Central Union for Child Welfare says a vicious circle has begun in Finland. He says action in child welfare cases is only taken when it is absolutely necessary, and it costs a great deal. The price of caring for a single child outside the home runs hundreds of euros each day.

Shrinking services

To make matters worse, basic services for children have been drastically cut in recent years. For example, children are visiting health clinics less often, and school doctors have been let go. Extra tutoring has been cut as well, and teachers are being furloughed.

More children are saying they don’t enjoy school and believe they’re worse off than kids in other countries. Each year, 4,000 pupils quit school after finishing their basic education.

Eva Iivonen of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare says that society is responsible for the development and growth of children.

Child advocacy groups are trying to right the situation by calling on parliament for help. They say that money earmarked for child welfare must be distributed to municipalities and not be used for other needs.