Short-term placement services

Child welfare short-term placement is provided when a child or young person is urgently placed either in a family or institutionalised child welfare unit. Short-term placement in a reception service often takes place in an acute crisis situation and at short notice. The urgent nature of the service involves that placement can take place around the clock. During the short-term placement service, a social worker makes either a decision on emergency placement or a decision on emergency open care placement. Emergency placement lasts up to 30 days and can be extended by a separate decision for an additional 30 days, if the best interests of the child so require. The duration of the emergency open care placement is assessed separately in cooperation with the family. During placement, the situation of the child and their family is assessed. The assessment includes observation of the child's and family's well-being, needs, contact and interaction as well as clearing up various things involving the child' situation. During placement, it is necessary to plan how the child can return home safely or, if this is not possible, move to long-term foster care either as a support measure of open care placement or through taking them into care. Emergency placement is a strong intervention in a family's life and privacy, and such measure is not taken lightly. As per the Child Welfare Act, a child or young person must be placed in care with urgency if they are in immediate danger. The aim of foster care is to respond to the short-term need for substitute for young children in particular. As a rule, short-term placement is an on-time service, and it does not lead to permanent customer relationships. However, some children are relocated soon after the first short-term placement period. If the need arises again, the aim is to arrange short-term placement in a place that the child is already familiar with. When making a decision on placement, the social worker will consult the child according to their age as well as their parents and guardians.