ABSTRACT
Globally since the 1980s neoliberalism has become an increasingly dominant policy in economics, politics and how society should be structured and governed. Finland has been traditionally perceived to be a latecomer in Nordic state welfare development, due to late industrialisation and its having a politically and ideologically weaker welfare state project than the other Nordic countries. This chapter focuses on child and family services in Finland. Typically the Nordic welfare model offers psychosocial services for families, such as maternity and child care clinics, home help, day care, family guidance clinics, school health care and financial support. Finland launched the 'Services for Children and Families' programme as part of the health, social services and regional government reform in 2017. According to Forsberg and Ritala-Koskinen, the need for child protection has increased over the last decades in Finland, partly due to the increase in the number of symptomatic young people. The neoliberal changes in Finland are clearly visible in its public services.
