SOS Children´s Village Association, Finland, was founded in 1962. At the moment SOS Children´s Village Association Finland maintains five SOS Children´s Villages with 40 houses and one SOS Youth Home. There are 150 children and youngsters taken into care by the municipalities living in the SOS Children´s Villages and the SOS Youth House. The number of staff is altogether 170.
The role of the SOS Children´s Villages in Finland´s child welfare system is to provide a viable option for children and youngsters in need of long-term foster care. The continuity and commitment of parenthood and care are the key aspects in this work. The care provided by the villages is most suitable for children under the age of ten and siblings for whom the family setting is a suitable form of care.
The children placed in the SOS Children´s Villages in Finland:
- Age %
0-6 15
7-12 46
13-17 31
18 8
Average age upon coming 5,4 years
Average time in the Village 11,5 years
The children living in SOS Youth House are over 13 years old youth taken into custody.