The eHandbook for Child Welfare is a public, national-level and free-of-charge online service that is updated on a regular basis. The aim is to strengthen support structures of authorities working in the field of child welfare and provide users with information on the new Child Welfare Act and its application. The eHandbook is based on child welfare legislation that entered into force on 1 January 2008.
The eHandbook is a quick access tool for professionals to topical, user-friendly and reliable information on a wide variety of topics in the area of child welfare. The aim is also to make child welfare practices more uniform at the national level.
Tools for high-quality child welfare
The eHandbook for Child Welfare describes the different stages of the child welfare process, from preventive child welfare through to after-care. The handbook is designed as a practical tool for professionals in child welfare. It also helps individual child welfare professionals in applying the new legislation and provides tools for high-quality child welfare. Child welfare requires accessible and guiding tools that have been planned and agreed upon at the national level.
The eHandbook puts emphasis on managing child welfare work from the client’s perspective. It also deals extensively with community care and substitute care in child welfare. Every stage of the child welfare process has been applied to practice, as provided by law.
The stages of the child welfare process
The handbook presents the key aspects of each stage of the child welfare process and provides an overview of the legislation as well as related guidelines. It also includes checklists for child welfare work, working methods, good practices and a number of forms. In addition, the eHandbook contains information on some of the most important special issues concerning child welfare, such as immigrant clients, child abuse, paedophilia and child custody.
The handbook also to some extent addresses administrative issues in relation to child welfare. For example, it includes information for leading municipal officials on child welfare professionals’ working conditions, work development and continuing education as well as general information on municipal responsibilities.
Furthermore, the handbook includes R&D and statistical information on child welfare.