The need for the short-term placement of a child may arise if the parents cannot take care of the child due to, for example, acute mental health issues, an accident or substance abuse, or if the child has been mistreated or if the child engages in self-harming behaviour.
Short-term placement of a child is based on the Child Welfare Act. A social worker makes the decision on the placement.
In the short-term foster family or reception facility, children or young people are received safely, they get the care they need, and their situation is assessed. A child may also be placed with a relative or another person close to the child for a short period.
We aim to place siblings of different ages in the same short-term foster family or reception facility.
The child, the family, their loved ones, and the employees and authorities in their network work together during the placement. The aim is to find the most suitable means of support and help for the child and the family.
The short-term emergency placement of a child lasts a maximum of two months. The short-term placement of a child as a support measure in open care lasts a maximum of six months.
During the short-term placement, the responsible social worker makes a decision, based on a joint assessment, whether the child will return to their home or be placed in longer-term care outside the home.
If children or young people need longer-term placement, they are placed in a substitute care location that meets their needs.
You can contact us via the Short-term Foster Family Activities helpline. The helpline is intended for children, parents, loved ones and family carers. The on-call social instructor answers the helpline.
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Helpline
Short-term foster families are families with one or two parents living in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We have trained the families for the task.
Children and young people of all ages can be placed with short-term foster families. The family carer takes care of the child in the short-term foster family.
During the placement, we jointly prepare a follow-up plan focusing on the child’s needs and support the child’s family in finding the necessary solutions for change. The cooperation involves the child, the parents and possibly other loved ones, the responsible social worker, the family carer, the Short-term Foster Family Activities employees and any other employees working with the child.
The city maintains reception facilities that receive children and young people.
Each child has a personal instructor at the reception facility who works with the child and the family.
During the placement, we jointly prepare a follow-up plan focusing on the child’s needs and support the family in finding the necessary solutions for change. The cooperation involves the child, the parents and possibly other loved ones, the responsible social worker, the reception facility staff and any other employees working with the child.
The Oulunkylä reception unit is intended for children under the age of 13.
Herttoniemi, Kallio and Malminkartano have reception units for young people aged 13–17.
A child may be placed with a relative or another person or family close to the child for a short period.
The social worker assesses whether the child can be placed with a family close to the child. The placement must be per the child’s needs and best interests.
During the placement, the child, the child’s family, loved ones, and the social worker work in close cooperation.
