Organisation of child welfare in wellbeing services counties is largely compliant with legislation – with fewer and fewer deviations

The activities of wellbeing services counties are still not fully in compliance with legislation, but there are fewer and fewer deviations. Every six months, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) monitors the fulfilment of child welfare services in wellbeing services counties in terms of processing times and staffing levels.

“The first years of organising child welfare services were difficult for wellbeing services counties. So far, practices have become more harmonised, and there is a new requirement on the maximum caseload for social workers. It now seems that the long-term development and investments are reflected as positive development in the statistics as well”, says Martta Forsell, Chief Specialist at THL.

Social workers’ caseloads in child welfare managed increasingly well

In October 2025, the average caseload of a social worker in child welfare services was 26 children. This calculation only includes social welfare services’ clients who are under the age of 18, which means that the social workers may also have other clients who do not need child welfare services.  

Despite the positive development, the maximum number of clients specified in legislation is exceeded in the majority of wellbeing services counties. Only eight wellbeing services counties managed not to exceed the statutory number of clients.

“The number of social workers in child welfare has grown. We hear from wellbeing services counties that the availability of qualified social workers has improved significantly”, says Johanna Hedman, Development Manager at THL.  

In a fifth (18 %) of all cases, the tasks of child welfare social workers were being carried out by qualified substitute social workers. The same figure was 28% two years ago in October.  

Service needs assessments are mainly completed in the statutory three months 

Across Finland, 90% of service needs assessments were completed in under three months. A year ago, that figure was 80%. 

Service need must be assessed within three months if a child is considered to need child welfare services or needs special support. Still, the urgency of any new child welfare case is determined immediately. 

Greatest difficulties in Ostrobothnia 

In Ostrobothnia, only half (47%) of service needs assessments were completed within the statutory deadline. Ostrobothnia also has the highest number of child welfare social workers with an excessive caseload. 

“When the wellbeing services county was launched in Ostrobothnia, they made the decision to only hire social workers who meet the education requirements for child welfare. In terms of staffing, the situation in Ostrobothnia has already clearly improved. We hear from Ostrobothnia that they are aware of the missed deadlines for service needs assessments, and they are looking at new recruitments to ensure that each child’s situation get assessed within the given deadline”, Forsell says. 

Further information

Johanna Hedman (development of child welfare) 
Development Manager
tel. +358 29 524 7194
[email protected]

Martta Forsell (statistical figures)
Development Manager
tel. +358 29 524 7974
[email protected]