Service id: 7562
Service title: Short-term placement of children outside the home
Service name synonyms: child placement, reception home, family rehabilitation, child welfare
Service headline: A child or young person may be placed outside the home under short-term placement with a short-term foster family, in a reception facility, or with someone close to the child or young person.
Service description: The need for the short-term placement of a child may arise if the parents cannot take care of the child due to, for example, acute mental health issues, an accident or substance abuse, or if the child has been mistreated or if the child engages in self-harming behaviour. Short-term placement of a child is based on the Child Welfare Act. A social worker makes the decision on the placement. In the short-term foster family or reception facility, children or young people are received safely, they get the care they need, and their situation is assessed. A child may also be placed with a relative or another person close to the child for a short period. We aim to place siblings of different ages in the same short-term foster family or reception facility. The child, the family, their loved ones, and the employees and authorities in their network work together during the placement. The aim is to find the most suitable means of support and help for the child and the family. The short-term emergency placement of a child lasts a maximum of two months. The short-term placement of a child as a support measure in open care lasts a maximum of six months. During the short-term placement, the responsible social worker makes a decision, based on a joint assessment, whether the child will return to their home or be placed in longer-term care outside the home. If children or young people need longer-term placement, they are placed in a substitute care location that meets their needs. You can contact us via the Short-term Foster Family Activities helpline. The helpline is intended for children, parents, loved ones and family carers. The on-call social instructor answers the helpline.
Service target groups: Children and Families, Youth
Service prerequisites: During office hours, the social worker responsible for the child and the client guidance social worker of the services will collaborate to determine a suitable placement unit for the child based on the available information. Outside office hours, the placement is carried out by emergency social services. Placement into an institution is possible if family care is unable to meet the child's needs or no places are available. The social worker in charge of the placement makes the decision in accordance with Section 37 or Section 38 of the Child Welfare Act. 

There is one errand service linked to this service:

Errand service type: Providing advice
Errand service name: The reception family service, helpline
Errand service description: The reception family operation support phone is intended for children, parents, relatives and family caregivers. The helpline is answered by a social worker on duty.
Errand service target groups: Children and Families, Youth
Contact channel type: Telephone
Contact channel name: Helpline
Contact channel availability: Open every day 08-21
Contact channel phone number: 09 310 52581
Contact channel call charge: mobile call charge / local network charge