SOCIAL SERVICES

The services of social work provided are rehabilitative social work and social security, child protection and the social work with disabled. There are two main offices of Social Services in the city centre of which the other looks after the rehabilitative social work and social security, and the other looks after child protection and agreements of child custody and visiting rights. Huhtasuo and Kuokkala Social Ser-vices provide their customers with both types of care. The social work with disabled has been centralised in the Office of Social work with the disabled.

Rehabilitative social work helps with things to do in basic security and social rehabilitation. The income support is the last financial support, the aim of which is to secure a minimum essential income. The in-come support is applied for by making an appointment to a benefit settler, care manager or a social worker in that residential area that the applicant lives in. If the applicant is applying for financial support only, the appointment is made with the benefit settler.

Rehabilitative social work gives guidance and advice to customers on how to survive independently and how to better control one’s own life. Social work cooperates closely with, for example, health care, em-ployment office and the care for the alcohol and drug abusers.

The survival of the families with children is supported in many ways. Parents planning a divorce or living separately can discuss and make an agreement on child’s custody, visiting rights and child support with a social worker. Schools have their own school social workers. The school social worker helps and supports the students and their families on things like education, and growth and development.

Child welfare sees to a child’s right for a secure and stimulating environment, balanced and varied devel-opment, and special protection and care. Child protection cases are usually started by a worry of a child’s well-being, health or development. For example, a lack of child care, parent’s alcohol or drug abuse, mental health problems or strong conflicts in the family can endanger the child’s well-being. The child can also endanger his or her own life with their own alcohol or drug abuse, by neglecting education or committing crimes. Anyone who notices a child or a young person in a need of help can get in touch with a social worker. According to the child protection law, officials and trustees are obligated to get in touch with the child protection when they think it is needed.

Child protection is carried out in cooperation with family, the family’s close network and officials like day-care, child health clinic, school and youth work. The parents are supported in children’s upbringing primarily so that the child is able to grow at his or her own home. In a case when the child’s situation is not improved with social support measures, the child can be taken-into-care and placed either at children’s home, youth home or in a foster family.