Family in Pyhäjoki

You can ask for more information about the services directly from the operators or the Pyhäjoki municipality’s info desk.

The Pyhäjoki Municipality grants a special allowance called ‘Heron Money’ to families with new-born children.

The Mukana arjessa website has been created for families living in Pyhäjoki, Raahe and Siikajoki. It includes tips on raising children of various ages. The site also contains information on various services, forms of support, events and recreational opportunities for families with children. The website is in Finnish only.

Pyhäjoki Municipality
Info desk: info(at)pyhajoki.fi
 

Read more: What is a family?

Before getting married, you must request in writing an investigation of possible impediments to the marriage. This investigation is conducted at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, as is the civil marriage ceremony.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Orthodox Church also have the right to perform marriage ceremonies. Other registered religious communities may also have persons who have the right to perform marriage ceremonies granted by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

If you would like a religious marriage ceremony, ask your religious community for more information about their practices.

Read more: Marriage in Finland

If you have marriage or relationship problems, you can contact the Raahe Parish family counselling centre (Raahen seurakunnan perheasiain neuvottelukeskus) (tel. 040 6710 641) or the family counselling centre of the Joint Municipal Authority of Wellbeing in Raahe District (Raahen seudun hyvinvointikuntayhtymän perheneuvola).

Appointments for family counselling on Monday–Friday at 8 am–11 am, telephone 040 135 8125. Family Counselling Centre services are free of charge and open to all living in the area.

Marriage or registered partnership may end in divorce. In Finland, you can file for divorce or the dissolution of a registered partnership independently or together with your spouse.

In Pyhäjoki, a divorce application is filed at Oulu District Court. A written petition for this must be submitted to a district court. Registered partnerships are dissolved in the same way as marriages.

The closest Oulu District Court office is located in Ylivieska. It is open on weekdays 8:00 am–4:15 pm. You can also take care of matters and submit documents to the District Court by e-mail, telephone or letter.

Divorce proceedings abroad may require various documents from Finnish authorities, for example, from the Digital and Population Data Agency and your municipality of residence.

Oulu District Court
Ylivieska office
Valtakatu 4, 84100 Ylivieska
Tel. (divorce matters): 029 56 49417
Email: oulu.ko(at)oikeus.fi

Read more: Divorce

If you have children and decide to file for divorce, please contact a child welfare supervisor (lastenvalvoja). The child welfare supervisor will verify the agreement regarding the housing and care of the children, as well as access rights and child support.

Practical advice, especially regarding children's matters in a divorce situation, is available on the Apuaeroon.fi website of the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters.

Child welfare supervisor of Raahe, Pyhäjoki and Siikajoki
Tel: 044 439 3702

A common-law relationship is a relationship where spouses live together but are not married to each other. Common-law relationships are not registered anywhere.

Read more: Common-law relationship

Contact Pyhäjoki maternity and child health clinic as soon as possible after your pregnancy has started.

The maternity health clinic monitors the health of the mother, the baby and the whole family during pregnancy.

When you are pregnant, you may participate in antenatal classes.

Pyhäjoki maternity and child health clinic
Vanhatie 57, 86100 Pyhäjoki
Tel. 044 439 4567
(Telephone service time Tue–Fri 12 noon–1 pm)

Read more: Pregnancy and childbirth

Information on municipal childcare services is available on the Education in Pyhäjoki page (under the section Early Childhood Education).

If you need a nanny at home, the municipality provides childcare services at an hourly rate by nannies who speak various languages. Ask for more information from the  Pyhäjoki 4H Association or Rannikon Venäjä-Seura ry.

Pyhäjoki Municipality’s early childhood education organises open playground activities in downtown Pyhäjoki and Yppäri in June.

Read more: Taking care of a child

If you are looking after a young child at home, you might like to participate peer group activities or have the need for temporary childcare services.

In Pyhäjoki, various parties organise joint activity groups for parents and children, family clubs and temporary childcare services.

Pyhäjoki has several playgrounds that are available to all families with children. The Kirkkopuisto playground (Vanhatie 27) also features exercise equipment for adults. School playgrounds are also at your disposal outside school hours.

Instructed and open playground activities are organised in downtown Pyhäjoki and Yppäri in summertime. All playgrounds are listed on the map of Pyhäjoki recreational sites.

Further information is available from Pyhäjoki Municipality’s Early Childhood Education and Recreational Services and from the child and family work of the Pyhäjoki Parish.

In Finland, persons under 18 years of age are considered children.

Leisure activities for children and youth between 7‒18 years of age in Pyhäjoki are provided by the municipality, parish, associations, and sports clubs. For further information see Leisure in Pyhäjoki (Hobbies for children and young people) or the websites of the organisations in question.

Pyhäjoki has a Youth Council. It promotes the perspective of young people in municipal decision-making and develops activities for adolescents in Pyhäjoki.

Read more: Children’s and youths’ rights and obligations and Bringing up children in Finland.

The nurses of the child health clinic (lastenneuvola) provide advice on questions related to the health or growth and development of young children. The clinic provides information on locations where you can obtain assistance when necessary.

You can ask for instructions from the regional phone number weekdays 10–11 am or directly from Pyhäjoki maternity and child health clinic.

If your child is school-age, you can ask for help for example from the school nurse or your municipality’s youth workers. You can contact the school nurse of Pyhäjoki schools on school days by calling 040 135 8019.

Pyhäjoki Maternity and Child Heath Clinic

Vanhatie 57, 86100 Pyhäjoki
Tel. 044 439 4567
(Telephone service time Tue to Fri at 12 noon–1 pm)

Read more: Children's and young people's problems

You can share your problems with the nurse (terveydenhoitaja) at your own school or educational institution, or with the Pyhäjoki Municipality's youth workers.

If you need temporary accommodation in a crisis situation, contact the Mother and Child Home and Shelter of Raahe (Raahen ensi- ja turvakoti).

Outreach youth work Satellite (Etsivä nuorisotyö Satelliitti) seeks out and helps young people of 15–29 years of age, who are not at work or studying.

Various online services for young people, such as the Sekasin chat service for 12–29-year-olds, can also help. The chat service is open on weekdays 9 am–12 midnight and on weekends 3 pm–12 midnight.

Outreach youth work Satellite
Tel. 040 1356919

Mother and Child Home and Shelter of Raahe
Tel: 044 28 24 211
Fellmaninpuistokatu 11, 92100 Raahe

Read more: Children's and young people's problems

In Finland, children have the right to special protection. This is provided for in the Child Welfare Act. The Joint Municipal Authority of Wellbeing in Raahe District is responsible for child welfare matters in Pyhäjoki.

If you want to file a child welfare notification, gain information or contact child welfare staff, call 040 135 8125 Mon–Fri 8–11 am.

The Joint Municipal Authority’s child welfare website also includes a form that can be used to file a written child welfare notification.

In the event of a sudden crisis, please contact emergency social services. Emergency social services cooperate together with health care on-call services, emergency care, police, rescue services and the Emergency Response Centre.

You can contact the emergency social services, tel. 040 830 3135 Mon–Fri 8 am–4 pm and tel. 044 479 364 Mon–Fri 4–8 pm and Sat–Sun, for example, in the following situations:

• a child has been left without care and attention
• the health and well-being of an adolescent is at risk, for example, as a result of substance abuse
• a family, an individual or someone close to you has suffered a serious crisis, such as a fire, violence or accident

More information on child welfare is available on the website of lastensuojelu.info.

Read more: Child welfare

In Finland, municipalities organise many services for the elderly to make their lives easier and to enable them live in their own homes for as long as possible.

Pyhäjoki has a Council for the Elderly and Disabled. It ensures that the elderly and disabled people have the opportunity to participate and make a difference.

Furthermore, it relays messages from the field to decision-makers and brings forward the perspective of the elderly and the disabled in the various activities of the municipality.

Pyhäjoki has one care facility for the elderly, Jokikartano Service Centre. It provides a homelike living environment and care services for senior citizens whose condition no longer allows them to live at home.

Read more: Elderly

Many people consider their pets as members of their family. There are numerous associations for pet owners in Finland. An association for dog enthusiasts, Pyhäjoen koiraharrastajat ry, operates in Pyhäjoki.

If you need someone to look after your pet, for example, while you travel, you can contact the Pyhäjoki 4H Association.

If your pets are in need of veterinary services, you can find more information on the InfoFinland page Health care in Pyhäjoki (Veterinary services).