Services and sources of assistance for children and families
On this page, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children has compiled a list of sources of support and additional information in difficult situations.
Some of the organisations offer help in several languages. We recommend that you contact the organisation directly if you need more information on their services.
Please note that the Ombudsman for Children does not have the authority to resolve issues related to individual children or families, and the Ombudsman for Children cannot comment on such issues. If you are not satisfied with a decision or treatment, instructions on how to proceed are available here.
We also invite you to browse our Frequently Asked Questions.
Call 112 in urgent situations where someone’s life or health is at risk. You can either call 112 or use the 112 Finland application.
The social service and crisis helplines of municipalities and wellbeing services counties offer crisis support around the clock for shocking situations that require immediate assistance. You can find their telephone numbers on the website of the municipality or wellbeing service county, or by making an internet search for ”social service and crisis helpline” + the name of your municipality.
You can call the MIELI Mental Health Finland Crisis Helpline anonymously and confidentially. The Crisis Helpline can provide assistance when
- there have been changes in your life that make you feel bad
- you have experienced something shocking
- you feel unable to cope with your fear, worries or sorrow by yourself
- you have thoughts of self-harm
- you are concerned about someone close to you.
Municipalities and wellbeing services counties have a statutory obligation to provide services for children, young people and families. Social and healthcare services are the responsibility of the wellbeing services counties, while municipalities are responsible for early childhood education and care and basic education. For more information about available services, please visit the websites of your municipality and wellbeing services county.
If you are unsure which service could help you or your family, you can ask for advice from a maternity and child health clinic, a daycare centre, your school’s pupil welfare services, or contact the family social services or a family centre in your wellbeing services county. Some wellbeing services counties also employ family service counsellors who can provide guidance and advice.
Many wellbeing services counties have a “Get Help” button on their website where you can leave your contact details and be contacted by a professional.
Please remember: always call 112 in an emergency.
In addition to your family and intimates, you can also discuss your concerns with people such as the school curator, nurse, teacher or other reliable adult. The following telephone helplines, websites and chat services provide help and support to children and young people.
Nuortennetti (in Finnish) is a free service for children and young people, offered by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). You can write or call Nuortennetti, and a chat service is also available. In the service, children and young people can ask questions or talk about anything that is on their minds anonymously or confidentially.
The number of the helpline for children and young people is 116 111. This service offered by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) is available every day of the year. The calls are completely free of charge, and you can contact the helpline anonymously. Calls are not recorded.
The Family Federation of Finland’s youth services can be found on the Young People website, featuring chat rooms, the Poikien puhelin helpline for boys and young men, as well as information on topics related to puberty, sexual wellbeing and relationships.
The Apuu chat is a nationwide forum for children aged 7–15. In the Apuu chat, you can discuss anything that is on your mind anonymously and confidentially. The chat is staffed by SOS-Lapsikylä employees and trained volunteers. The Apuu chat is available every day from 9 to 22.
The Sekasin chat is a national forum for young people aged 12–29. In the Sekasin chat, you can discuss anything that is on your mind anonymously and confidentially. The Chat is staffed by NGO employees and trained volunteers. The Sekasin chat is available from 9 to 24 on Mondays to Fridays and from 15 to 24 on Saturdays and Sundays.
You can seek help from Victim Support Finland if you have witnessed or fallen victim to a crime or attempted crime. You can contact Victim Support by telephone or via chat.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman supervises the realisation of the rights of children in Finland and processes complaints made by children and young people. Please contact the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman for instructions if you would like to file a complaint.
As a parent, you can discuss your needs for help and support and seek advice from a maternity and child health clinic, a daycare centre, or your child’s school pupil welfare services. You can also contact a family centre or the social services for families with children in your wellbeing services county.
Some wellbeing services counties also employ family service counsellors, who can provide guidance and advice.
Many wellbeing services counties have a “Get Help” button on their website where you can submit a request to be contacted.
Many family centres run by wellbeing services counties offer a variety of open groups and activities for families, such as family cafés and playground activities. There are also clubs and family cafés for grandparents and children. In addition, some areas may offer groups focused on specific themes, such as single parenthood or supporting a child with a long-term illness.
Do not hesitate to ask the services mentioned above for more information and guidance.
The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s helpline, online message and chat service for parents is open to all parents. You can contact the service anonymously and confidentially about any issue related to parenting. There is also a wealth of material for the parents of children of all ages on MLL’s website.
The Family Federation of Finland offers a variety of services and materials for parents and grandparents.
For information on child custody and residence after parental separation, see the relevant section in the Office of the Ombudsman for Children’s Frequently Asked Questions.
The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters offers divorce support services in Finnish for parents, children and young people.
Suomen Kasper ry offers divorce support services for children and young people, including children’s divorce groups and divorce workshops for young people in Helsinki and online, as well as tips for talking about divorce with children and games related to the topic.
The Miessakit Association offers divorce services for men.
Many municipalities and parishes also offer divorce support services. Information on these services is available on their websites.
The Nollalinja helpline for adults is available 24/7 at 080 005 005. Calling is free of charge. Nollalinja also operates a chat service from 9 to 15 on weekdays. You can contact the service anonymously and confidentially.
The Online Shelter and mother and child homes and shelters also help parents who have had violent thoughts or who have resorted to violence.
Do not hesitate to contact the services in your wellbeing services county for help and support at an early stage.
The Substance Abuse Counselling helpline of the Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention (EHYT) is available 24/7 at 0800 90045. Calling is free of charge. The helpline is staffed by professional substance abuse counsellors. Calling the helpline is anonymous and free of charge.
Fragile Childhood is a website and chat service for young people concerned or distressed by the alcohol use of an adult.
The Nuortenlinkki website provides information in Finnish on intoxicants and sobriety, gaming, internet use, depression and bullying. The website is maintained by the A-Clinic Foundation.
Do not hesitate to contact the services in your wellbeing services county for help and support at an early stage.
We are sorry for your loss. In addition to their grief, there are many practical matters that a guardian has to take care of related to a child who has lost their parent. A guide in Suomi.fi service provides information about topics such as benefits, distribution of inheritance and the status of the child as a shareholder in the estate, support, assistance and services, as well as informing the child about the death of their loved one.
If you are a child or a young person, you can talk about the death of your parent and related issues with your loved ones, as well as a school social worker, public health nurse, teacher or other trusted adult. They will also refer you to other sources of support or services if necessary.
The following telephone services, websites or chats are also available for children and young people:
Nuortennetti is a free online service for children and young people provided by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). The service includes a telephone helpline, messaging and chat features. You can use the service to ask questions anonymously or confidentially discuss any matter that concerns you.
The helpline for children and young people is available 24/7 at +358 (0)116 111. The telephone helpline service provided by MLL is open every day of the year. Calls are free and can be made anonymously. The phone calls are not recorded.
Apuu chat is a national chat platform for children and young people aged between 7 and 15. Apuu chat allows you to discuss questions or topics that concern you anonymously and confidentially. The professionals of SOS Children’s Village and trained volunteers are on duty in the chat. The Apuu chat is available every day from 9:00 to 22:00.
Sekaisin chat is a national chat platform for people aged between 12 and 29. Sekaisin chat allows you to discuss questions or topics that concern you anonymously and confidentially. The professionals of non-governmental organisations and trained volunteers are on duty in the chat. The Sekasin chat is open Mon–Fri from 9:00 to 24:00 and Sat–Sun from 15:00 to 24:00.
If you are a parent and need acute crisis support, you can contact the social and crisis emergency services of your wellbeing services county, which provide 24/7 crisis support in traumatic situations requiring acute crisis or social welfare support. You can find their number on the website of municipalities and wellbeing services counties, or a search engine with the search term “social and crisis emergency services” + the name of your municipality of residence.
The MIELI Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 at +358 (0)9 2525 0111. Your calls are anonymous and confidential. The Crisis Helpline can help you, for example, when
- your life has suddenly changed and you feel bad about it
- you have experienced something that shocks you
- you feel unable to cope with your fear, concerns or grief on your own
- you are having suicidal thoughts
- you are worried about a loved one.
If you, as a guardian, feel that you or your child needs support and services in addition to what you get from your loved ones, you can contact the healthcare and social welfare services of your wellbeing services county. If you do not know which service would help you or your family, you can ask for help from a child health clinic, day-care centre, school pupil welfare services or contact the social work services for families with children or a family centre located in your wellbeing services county. Some municipalities or wellbeing services counties also employ a client service coordinator for families with children, who you can contact for advice. The websites of many municipalities or wellbeing services counties include a ‘get help’ button that allows you to submit your contact information, and you will be contacted.
Nuoret Lesket ry provides peer support for widows and bereaved families. Other organisations, such as parishes, may also organise grief groups for children or adults.