Special Services

Competence cluster for violence prevention work 

  • Is responsible for national support for the development of anti-violence activities assigned to the municipalities and wellbeing services counties and for supporting the implementation of international obligations to combat violence
  • Is responsible for the guidance, assessment, development and nationwide coordination of shelter services, acts as the state aid authority, and annually produces the national statistics for shelter services
  • Is responsible for organising the Nollalinja helpline for victims of violence against women and domestic violence and for developing and coordinating the helpline’s activities
  • Is responsible for the national organization, co-ordination and development of mediation services in criminal and certain civil cases and collects annual statistics on criminal and certain civil cases
  • Is responsible for the national coordination and dissemination of the multi-professional MARAC operating model, which aims to improve the risk assessment of serious intimate partner violence and the safety of the victims
  • Is responsible for the national coordination and the development of competence in the prevention of honour related violence, which includes female genital mutilation
  • Develops and coordinates the national Seri support centre network of support units for those who have suffered sexual violence
  • Is responsible for the implementation of the Barnahus standards in investigation processes of suspected cases of violence against children and in the support and treatment provided for children who have suffered violence
  • Utilises research and training to support the identification of violent radicalisation and the development of applicable treatment and support methods.
  • Is responsible for the maintenance, updating and monitoring of the ‘create trust – combat violence’ online training and the assessment of the opportunities for further development of the training in cooperation with the partnering organisations.
  • The Committee for coordinating violence against women and domestic violence (NAPE) is responsible for coordination, monitoring and evaluation of measures and policies set out by the Istanbul Convention. The Secretary General of the Committee works under the Competence cluster for violence prevention work. (NAPE – Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence)
  • Multidisciplinary research on adverse childhood experiences, the effectiveness of services and interventions related to violence and its prevention, risk assessment and the prevalence of violence

Competence cluster for child protection 

  • Carries out research, develops and assesses the child protection service system and provides expert support for the implementation of policies, operating methods and practices that improve the clients’ life situation
  • Strengthens the knowledge base for child protection work by carrying out research on child protection services and the life situation and well-being of the children, young people and parents receiving such services
  • Maintains and develops the Child Protection Handbook
  • Provides guidance and develops further open care, foster care and aftercare services and the joint development of the service system at national level
  • Coordinates and supports the nationwide establishment of systematic child protection
  • Is responsible for the administration of discretionary government transfers granted for services related to use of intoxicants among pregnant women and families with babies
  • Promotes multidisciplinary child protection research

Contact details

Joonas Peltonen
Head of Unit
tel. +358 29 524 7947
e-mail: [email protected]

Postal address
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
Po Box 30
FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland

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