Finland is built for families: near-free daycare, free school with free lunches, child benefit for every child, and parental leave that both parents take. The system assumes you know it exists; this page makes sure you do.
Daycare (varhaiskasvatus)
Every child under school age has a right to municipal daycare from the end of parental leave. Apply through your municipality's online service as soon as you have a henkilötunnus; the wait can be months in growing areas. Fees depend on family income and size, from zero to a capped monthly maximum, and are among the lowest in Europe. Private daycares exist with municipal vouchers. Pre-school (esiopetus) at age six is free and compulsory.
School
Comprehensive school (peruskoulu) runs from age seven for nine years, free, with free lunch, books and health care. Children are enrolled in the local school by address. Newly arrived children start in preparatory education (valmistava opetus) for up to a year to learn Finnish, then move to a mainstream class with Finnish as a second language (S2) support. Many municipalities also teach the child's own mother tongue two hours a week. The school year runs from mid-August to early June; the app for messages is Wilma.
The daycare and school words, and how to talk to the teacher, are in Finnish for families.
Kela for families
- Child benefit (lapsilisä) for every child under 17 living in Finland, paid monthly, no application needed once you are in the system.
- Maternity package (äitiyspakkaus): the famous box of baby clothes and supplies, or a cash sum, for every expecting mother covered by Kela.
- Parental allowance (vanhempainraha): a total of about 320 working days per child, split between the parents with a share reserved for each, paid by Kela based on income.
- Home care allowance (kotihoidon tuki) if a child under three is cared for at home instead of daycare.
All at kela.fi in English, with bank credentials.
Healthcare for children
The neuvola (maternity and child health clinic) follows pregnancy and the child's growth with free check-ups and vaccinations until school age. Children's health centre visits are free. See healthcare.
Getting help
Family services, home help in a crisis, and free counselling run through the municipality and the wellbeing services county; the neuvola nurse is the first person to ask. Libraries have free children's events in many languages.