Finland Times

 

File Photo – Lehtikuva.

Cases involving approximately 200 children in Vantaa have not yet been assigned to child welfare workers due to their work overload, reported the Finnish language daily Helsingin Sanomat.

 

According to the newspaper, the overload of Vantaa’s child protective services has not yet abated. The child protection workers who spoke with the daily said there are about 200 children who have not been assigned to anyone and 100 children have not yet met their case workers face to face.

 

In addition, the client plans for the children required by the law are missing or have expired.

 

According to the child protection workers, a shortage of employees is the main reason for the situation.

 

Social workers at the Vantaa Tikkurila outpatient centre complained about their work situation to the Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) in mid-March. AVI at present is waiting for response from Vantaa City.

 

Vantaa Child Welfare Services Director Jaana Vilpas told the Helsingin Sanomat that emergency cases of children without having any social worker assigned are taken from the list and transferred into processing.