Child welfare – Processing times

Provision of child welfare services is largely in line with legislation

The need for child welfare services is mainly assessed within the prescribed time limits. Nationwide, 89 per cent of service needs assessments were completed within three months during the monitoring period from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026. The proportion is the same as a year earlier.

A service needs assessment must be completed within three months if a child is assessed as being in need of child welfare services or requires special support. However, the urgency of newly initiated child welfare cases is assessed immediately.

Diverging trends in wellbeing services counties

The operations of wellbeing services counties are still not fully in line with legislation, but deviations are becoming less frequent.

“In Ostrobothnia, the situation has been challenging for several years. Steps have been taken in the right direction, but the region still clearly stands out from the others. In Northern Ostrobothnia, the indicators turned negative this spring. As system changes have been made in Pohde, it remains to be seen whether this is a temporary disruption,” says Martta Forsell, Chief Specialist at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

About the data in more detail 

• Read the entire statistical report (Julkari) (in Finnish)
• Compilation view of the statistics (in Finnish)
• Indicator data in Sotkanet

Background information

• Statistical quality report (In Finnish)
• Data description (Data resources catalogue)
• Instructions for submitting data (in Finnish)

Source

Processing times in child welfare 1.10.2025–31.3.2026
Statistical Report 24/2026, 16.6.2026.
Official Statistics of Finland, Processing times in child welfare THL.

Description of the statistics

The ‘Processing times in child welfare’ statistics contain data on the implementation of statutory time limits in child welfare over half-year periods.

The statistics are compiled based on data provided by wellbeing services counties. Data have been collected since 2013. The statistics are published twice a year, in June and December.

Update schedule

The next statistical publication will be in December 2026.

The publication date for new data can be found in THL’s statistics publication calendar.
Statistics publication calender