Family in Turku

Other important information on the subject can be found at the page Family.

In Finland, marriages are possible between a woman and a man or two persons of the same sex who are over 18 years of age. Before marriage, one must complete an examination of impediments to marriage. Request an examination of impediments from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in good time before the date of the marriage ceremony. Civil marriage ceremonies are held at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and require separate reservation.

Many religious communities have the right to undertake a religious marriage ceremony. If you wish to arrange a marriage ceremony in accordance with your own religion, please contact your parish or equivalent.

Read more:

Marriage

Information concerning the birth of a child is submitted from the hospital to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. You must submit the names of the child, their native language and other required information to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, using a separate form that will be sent to your home.

Information on registering the birth of a child which also confirms fatherhood and custody is available on the InfoFinland website: Kun lapsi syntyy Suomessa

Child supervisors oversee investigations and the confirmation of paternity when the parents are not married to one another.

Turku offers services and support for childcare and early childhood education. Guidance and help related to looking after a newborn child are available from the child welfare clinic.

The child welfare clinic will monitor the development of your child from when they are a baby to when they start school. We support your family with regard to various questions concerning the development and upbringing of your child, childcare and relationships.

Daycare for children

There are several daycare centres in Turku that are owned by the City. The daycare centres are open on weekdays 06:30–17:00 and 06:00–18:00 where required. Some daycare centres also offer evening and weekend care. There is one 24-hour daycare centre in Turku. The location of daycare services is determined by one’s home address.

There are also private daycare centres in Turku, group daycare centres and family daycarers for which you may submit applications by contacting the care centre directly. With regard to private daycare centres, one may select between the French-speaking L’Hexagone, the English-speaking Wendy House and Daycare Daisy, the Russian-speaking Miska daycare centre, and the Russian- and Estonian-speaking Kielipesä. One may apply for vouchers eligible at private daycare centres.

If your family has an address in Turku, you can apply for a daycare position via the City. The application must be submitted at least four months prior to the start of daycare. If you have a sudden need to enrol your child in daycare due to work or studies, apply for a position immediately. In this case, daycare will be arranged within two weeks.

Early childhood education service guidance is available at Monitori Market Square on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 09:00–15:30 and on Wednesdays 09:00–12:00 without the need for reservations. On Fridays, it is also possible to reserve an appointment via the City's website.

One may also apply for a daycare position online. The period of validity of an application is one year.

Read more:

Daycare
Childcare

Services for school-aged children

Most children who are under school age participate in early childhood education and preschool education. Preschool education is free of charge and must be started during the year when the child reached six years of age. Compulsory education in Finland begins at the age of seven, which is when the child begins attending an elementary school owned by the City.

If you have school-aged children, read more about schools in Turku in the section Education in Turku.

You can also look after your children at home. If you are entitled to a home care allowance, you may apply for it via Kela (the Social Insurance Institute of Finland). The application can also be submitted online. More information is available on the Kela website.

Kela Turku
Monitori Market Square
Aurakatu 8 | KOP-kolmio

Kela also has a service point at Monitori Skanssi.
Please make sure to check changes to opening hours here.

There are activities available in Turku for children under home care. Children may attend playschool, visit playgrounds and open daycare centres.

Playschool is intended for children who are 3–5 years old and do not require full-day daycare.

Activities for children under school age are also arranged at park playgrounds about midday, with the activities being supervised by playground instructors.

As part of open daycare centre groups, children and parents co-participate in different activities. Further information on types of activities and payments is available on the City of Turku website.

Several different services are available for elderly persons, ranging from leisure activities intended for active seniors to housing and care services.

Service councelling for elderly persons is available for older individuals and their close ones with the goal of providing easy-to-access guidance and counselling in relation to different services intended for the elderly. The service provides information on activities and services arranged by the municipality, companies, societies and organisations.

Service counselling is available every work day at Monitori Market Square.

Visitation address:
Aurakatu 8 | KOP-kolmio
FI-20100 Turku, FINLAND
Tel. +358 (0)2 262 0100

Further information on services for the elderly:

Families with children can receive help with regard to marital and relationship problems at the Child Upbringing and Family Counselling Clinic. The Clinic serves families in Turku with children who are 0–18 years old. The Clinic also provides help and support with reference to the mental development of children and young people, and in relation to questions about parenthood.

If you are considering a divorce and need help with negotiations, you can apply for family mediation. Anyone can request family mediation when the family situation involves:

• threat of divorce
• a reconsideration period
• considering parental arrangements (agreements concerning housing and meetings with children) after a divorce.

Family mediation in Turku is available either at the Child Upbringing and Family Counselling Clinic or at the Family Counselling Centre of the Turku and Kaarina Parish Union.

Child Upbringing and Family Counselling Clinic
Kunnallissairaalantie 20, Building 5, 2nd floor
FI-20700 Turku, FINLAND
Appointments, guidance and counselling by telephone +358 (0)2 262 6853

Turku and Kaarina Parish Union
Family Counselling Centre
Eerikinkatu 1 A, 3rd floor and 5th floor (corner of Eerikinkatu and Multavierunkatu)
FI-20100 Turku, FINLAND
Tel. +358 (0)40 341 7249

If you need urgent help from the Police in the case of an emergency, call the emergency number: 112.

In urgent cases, you may also contact the Social Emergency Services: tel. +348 (0)2 262 6003.

If a family member subjects you to or threatens you with violence, you may go to a shelter.

Contact details for Turun ensi- ja turvakoti (Turku Shelter):

Luolavuorentie 7b
FI-20810 Turku, FINLAND
Tel. +358 (0)2 5134 100

In the case of family violence and violence in close relationships, it is always worth seeking help before the situation becomes worse. Family violence and violence in close relationships can be:

• physical (hitting, shoving, slapping, holding)
• mental (calling names, threatening, manipulating, isolating)
• financial
• sexual

There are several officials in Turku who provide support to victims of violence. For a summary, see the City of Turku website.

Read more:

Help for victims of domestic violence
Problems in marriage and relationships
Divorce

Information concerning questions related to the health or development and growth of young children can be obtained from a nurse at a child welfare clinic. School nurses, social workers and psychologists offer help concerning problems related to school-aged children. Further information is available on the City of Turku website.

Submitting a child protection notification in Turku

In emergency situations, call 112.

A child protection notice is submitted in relation to a child whose need for treatment and care, circumstances endangering their development, or behaviour require an evaluation of the need for child welfare services. Concerns may include:

• domestic violence,
• subjecting a child to violence,
• drug use by the parents or the child, or
• inadequate attention to the child’s basic needs, e.g. the child goes hungry or is inadequately dressed.

A child protection notice can be submitted by either a private person or an official. It can be filed by calling the Customer Service number of the Social Emergency Services: +358 (0)2 262 6003 (open 24/7) or online:

Emergency Youth Shelter

If you are 12–19 years old and have problems, e.g. at home, at school or within your circle of friends, you can contact the Finnish Red Cross Youth Shelter. The Youth Shelter offers counselling and temporary lodging facilities for overnight stays.

Youth Shelter contact details:

Yliopistonkatu 24 A 15
FI-20100 Turku, FINLAND
Tel. +358 (0)2 253 9667
turvatalo.turku(at)punainenristi.fi

Outreach Youth Work

Outreach work offers support for planning one’s life and help with locating the right services and attending to matters at various service points. The target group includes youths who are 18–29 years old and who may be facing challenges including unemployment, homelessness or loneliness. Employees may accompany the youth to, e.g. various offices, and offer help in dealing with a range of varied topics.

General email address: etsivat(at)turku.fi

Divorce can be filed by both spouses together or by one of the spouses. Divorce applications can be returned or submitted to the Turku office of the District Court of Southwest Finland by post or email.

District Court of Southwest Finland, Turku office
Sairashuoneenkatu 2–4
FI-20101 Turku, FINLAND
Tel.(exchange): +358 (0)2 956 46200

If you have children and decide to file for divorce, reserve an appointment with a child supervisor. The child supervisor will validate an agreement concerning housing, childcare, the right to meetings, and alimony for the child.

Appointments for child supervisor services: phone +358 (0)2 2625 833

Read more:

Divorce
Children in a divorce