Families and children

Child Welfare

The primary duty of the child welfare services is to ensure that children and young people living under conditions that may harm their health and development will receive the necessary assistance when they need it, and to contribute to giving children and young people safe conditions for growing up.

Adoption

An adoption order may only be made when it can be assumed that the adoption will be in the best interests of the child. The basic condition of the child's best interests applies to all forms of adoption.

• Amendments to the Adoption Act

Parental benefit, child benefit and cash benefit

Each year, large amounts of money are transferred from the public purse to families with children: parental benefit, child benefit and cash benefits for the parents of infants.

• Child maintenance