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Questions and Answers

I’m concerned about a child’s situation. Should I make a child protection notification?

You can make a child protection notification if you notice or learn of a situation involving a need for a child to receive care or treatment, and which the need for child protection should be investigated. Your concern may also be to do with circumstances or behaviour on the part of the child that endanger his/her development.

The starting point is your own estimation of the relevance of investigating the need for child protection. As a rule, a notification can be made without breaching confidentiality obligations. Many official authorities are bound by law to make notifications if they perceive a need for children to receive child protection.

The notification is made to the responsible organ of the municipal social welfare office. A notification can be made by phone, in writing or by visiting the social welfare office in person. Notifications can also be made anonymously.


Basic facts about child care, access and residence

If a child is born to parents who are married, they are both the child’s guardians. If parents are unmarried when a child is born, the mother is the child’s guardian.
The parents can agree that the care of the child will be entrusted to both parents. They can also agree that the child will live with one parent, that the care of the child will be entrusted to one parent, and that the parent with whom the child does not live can meet the child.
There must be a written agreement on the care of the child and rights of access, and this must be presented for verification to a representative of the social welfare office in the locality where the child lives. In municipalities these duties are carried out by a children’s supervisor or a social worker.
A court may also decide on an application concerning the care, rights of access and residence of a child. A court order is needed if there is no consensus between the parents about the care of the child, if this care is proposed is other than with the parents or with other people, or if it is limited to specified care duties.
In situations in which the parents of a child or other individuals do not comply with the agreement or court order concerning the care of the child, right of access or residence, a decision is needed on means of enforcement. Jurisdiction in these situations lies with the district court of the place of residence or domicile of the child or the opposing party. The district court can decide on the enforcement of the decision or court order or on executive assistance.
The implementation of decisions concerning the care of a child can be sought from the bailiff of the child’s place of residence or domicile, if at least three months have elapsed since the care decision was granted.
The Child Custody and Right of Access Act 361/1983 (in English) and the Child Custody and Right of Access Act 619/1996 (not available in English) see www.finlex.fi


Where can parents facing difficult situations seek counselling?

Parents facing difficult situations in life can discuss their situation confidentially with, for example, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, either online or by phone.

You can write to:
http://vanhemmat.mll.fi/vpn/netti.php?dir=/vpn/netti. Messages are answered with two weeks.

A phone helpline for parents is available on 0600 12277, from Tuesdays 14.00-20.00, and Sundays 17.00-20.00. Calls cost 0.08€ a minute.

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare runs a phone line for children and young people to discuss their worries and concerns (tel: 0800 120 400). Further information in Finnish) from http://www.mll.fi/nuortennetti/apua/


Where can I inform about dubious internet material

You can inform internet service providers about inappropriate material you encounter on the web. You can also send a tip-off to the service provided by Save the Children Finland. See http://www.pelastakaalapset.fi/nettivihje/fi/nettivihje/nettivihje/lahetavihje.
You can also inform the police about illegal internet content, or content that refers to illegal material: vihje.internet@krp.poliisi.fi.

 

During early weekday evenings and during the daytime at weekends there are programmes on television with contents that are harmful to children. I have limited my child's television time, but the situation concerns me. What can the Ombudsman for Children do?

The Ombudsman for Children cannot influence the scheduling of programmes, but she can try to influence the general principles that TV channels comply with and the sphere of legislation so that children have the right to a safe growing environment. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children are entitled to be protected from material in the media that is inappropriate and harmful with respect to their age and level of development.

 At the moment there is underway a legal project on how K15 and K18 rated programmes can be prevented from being put on the internet. At the same time, the slots and regulations of pictorial programmes more broadly is being considered.

According to law, the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority supervises the activity of television channels. The laws on television and radio operations define programmes that are inappropriate for children, which because of their violent, sexual or horrific content, or for other reasons, may be harmful to children's development.

These programmes must be broadcast at times when children do not usually watch television. According to law, announcements must be made before programmes are broadcast about content harmful to children or there must be a rating visible throughout the broadcast.

According to an agreement between the national TV channels, programmes with content harmful to under 11 year-olds are to be presented after 17.00, under 15 year-olds after 21.99 and under 18 year-olds after 23.00

These times do not however in all respects concern weekends. The agreement between the TV channels states that at weekends parents ‘ restrict' children, and so time limits are not needed in the same way. In the view of the Ombudsman for Children the time limits should apply to all days of the week

If you notice that there are programmes that do not suit the timeframes in question, you can make a complaint to the Communications Regulatory Authority. The authority will investigate only on the basis of a complaint.

Despite the existence of common regulations, channels do from time to time show programmes that break these rules. The Communications Regulatory Authority issues statements on these, if it has received complaints.

* Link to example of a Communications Regulatory Authority decision concerning Big Brother (in Finnish): http://www.ficora.fi/attachments/suomi_A_L/5D5jvoM56/Files/CurrentFile/Paatos_tv-_ja_radiotoimintalain_19__n_rikkomisesta_Big_Brother_-Game.pdf


The Communications Regulatory Authority makes surveys and questionnaires for parents on how the K rating system works.

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