Case study
Anna has lived in Finland for six years. She works as a salesperson and is a single mother of her three school-aged children. She has no other family in Finland. Everyday life is tough, but usually they manage well. Lately, however, Anna has been worried about the behaviour of her oldest child, her 14-year-old son. Anna is concerned because her son has had many absences from school. He often doesn’t want to tell his mother where and with whom he spends his time, and he doesn’t listen when Anna tries to discipline him.
Anna became especially worried when the school contacted her and invited her to a meeting with her son's teacher. Anna felt that the school was questioning her ability to discipline and raise her son. During the meeting, the teacher explained that if the boy's absences continued, the school would have to contact child welfare services (lastensuojelu). However, the teacher also suggested that Anna could reach out to them herself and ask for help. Anna was frightened by the idea of child welfare getting involved, as she feared that the authorities might take her children away. The teacher, however, explained to Anna that taking children into custody would only be a last resort to help the children, and that the primary goal of child welfare is to support the whole family in coping together.
Anna thought about the matter for a few weeks. Her concern for her son made her feel exhausted, and she felt that the situation was too much for her to handle alone. Eventually, Anna gathered the courage to call child welfare services. The child welfare workers were kind and arranged a meeting where they spoke with both Anna and her son. They agreed on regular meetings, during which Anna and her son received help with communication, and Anna received advice and support on parenting a teenager. Anna has found the support from child welfare to be extremely valuable. Her relationship with her son has improved, he has started to share more with his mother, and his school absences have decreased.
