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Married couples or couples in a registered partnership have a duty to support each other. Couples who are cohabiting are not obliged to provide maintenance for each other. Married couples can take the same name or continue to use their previous names. Couples can divorce after a six-month period of consideration. The distribution of assets, child maintenance and guardianship are established in the divorce.
Both parents in a marriage are the child's guardians, whereas the paternity of children born to cohabiting couples is established by acknowledging paternity at a register office. If the child's paternity is not acknowledged, the guardian of a child born outside marriage is only the mother. Infertility is a problem for many couples, and information on treatment can be obtained from child welfare clinics and infertility clinics. Children can also be adopted.
Every child under school age has the right to day care provided by the local authority either in a day care centre or in family day care. Local authorities and organisations provide advice and support services for many different family situations. Single parents can get help from authorities if there are difficulties in providing maintenance for the child.
Local authorities, churches and organisations advice and help families in their everyday life. Young people can seek help from school nurses or telephone helplines set up by various organisations.
There are many kinds of social and health services available for the elderly, which aim to help as many as possible to live independently in their own homes. Improving the functional design of a house may involve making alterations, such as modernising the washing facilities or removing thresholds. Financial assistance and government loans are available for essential alterations. If living at home becomes too difficult, it is possible to obtain help or to move nearer to services.
The provision of services and support measures for the disabled are the responsibility of local authorities. Local authorities arrange services such as transport services, sheltered housing, interpreting services and personal assistants. Disability allowance is paid to disabled people aged 16-64. The aim of the allowance is to help the recipient cope more easily at work, in education and with the demands of everyday life.
The guardianship services provided by local register offices are there to help those who are unable to look after their own financial affairs. The service involves assigning a guardian to a person needing support, and then managing the individual's financial affairs and looking after their interests.
The death of a close relative can have a major impact on a family's life and income. In addition to coping with grief, a number of practical arrangements have to be dealt with from planning the funeral to making an inventory of the estate and administering the inheritance. Family members may also be entitled to survivor's pension. KELA is responsible for paying spouse's pensions and orphan's pensions.
The right to social security is one of the fundamental basic rights guaranteed under the Constitution. Society supports individuals at different stages of life with different allowances. The forms of support include family allowances, parental allowances and housing allowances. Everybody living permanently in Finland receives a KELA card, which can be used to prove a person's right to receive social security.
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You can contact any one of Kela`s customer service points. Contact details and opening hours can be found with customer service locator. First select a city or town and then a customer service point.
Page updated on 11.02.2010 | Suomi.fi editorial team | State Treasury
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