Personnel dimensioning

Provision of child welfare services is largely in line with legislation

The client-to-social worker ratio in child welfare has continued to develop positively in spring 2026. According to monitoring data from April, the statutory maximum number of clients was exceeded by fewer social workers than before.

“This is an extremely positive development from the perspective of a child in need of support,” says Johanna Hedman, Chief Specialist at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). “We know how important it is that the social worker responsible for a child’s affairs has the opportunity to focus on their clients – that is, that they do not have too many clients.”

On the monitoring date of 14 April 2026, approximately 85 child welfare social workers had more clients than permitted by law. This corresponds to seven per cent of the total social worker resource. As recently as April 2025, the maximum number of clients was exceeded by 168 social workers, corresponding to 13 per cent of the personnel.

In seven wellbeing services counties, the statutory number of clients was not exceeded at all.

On average 26 children per social worker

In April 2026, child welfare social workers had an average of 26 clients under the age of 18. The calculation includes only child welfare clients, meaning that social workers may also have other clients without a need for child welfare services.

The mean number of clients remained at the previous level. The number of social workers (+1%) and the number of clients (+1%) also remained stable.

Availability of qualified social workers has improved

The number of child welfare social workers has increased, and the availability of qualified personnel has improved in the wellbeing services counties.

In April 2026, approximately one in eight (13%) child welfare social worker positions were filled by so-called qualified substitutes (social workers working under temporary authorisation). A year earlier, the corresponding share was 20 per cent.

About the data in more detail

Background information

Source

Personnel dimensioning in child welfare social work in April 2026
Statistical Report 23/2026, 16.6.2026.
Official Statistics of Finland, Personnel dimensioning in child welfare social work. THL.

Data description

The ‘Personnel dimensioning in child welfare social work’ statistics contain data on the implementation of personnel dimensioning in child welfare social work on the monitoring date. The statistics monitor both the number of social workers exceeding the maximum number of clients and the mean number of clients by wellbeing services county.
The statistics are compiled based on data provided by wellbeing services counties. Data were first collected in November 2022. The statistics will be published twice a year, in June and December.