Proposed amendments to child home care allowance sent out for comments
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a proposal to amend the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. According to the proposal, child home care allowance could in future be granted after a minimum of three years’ residence in Finland. The amendment would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance as outlined in the Programme of Prime Minister Orpo's Government. The deadline for submitting comments is 20 November.
The proposed provisions would introduce a three-year residence requirement for both parents in a family as a condition for receiving child home care allowance. In single-parent families, the requirement for a minimum period of residence would apply to the parent residing with the child. The residence requirement would also have to be met by any other person who has custody of the child and resides with the child as well as by the spouse or cohabiting partner of the child’s parent or other custodian. In practice, child home care allowance would not be paid if any custodian belonging to the child’s family or the spouse or cohabiting partner of such a person has resided in Finland for less than three years after reaching the age of 16.
The amendment would apply to situations where any of the persons referred to above has moved to Finland after the entry into force of the proposed act.
In addition, it is proposed that the definition of care provider in the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances be amended to reflect the amendments made to the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care.
Increased participation in early childhood education and care as the objective
The proposal aims to contribute to the faster integration of parents of small children who have recently moved to Finland and to promote children’s learning of Finnish or Swedish and their participation in society. The objective is that parents of small children who have resided in Finland for less than three years would more often choose for their children to participate in early childhood education and care. At the same time, this would encourage more parents to enter the labour market and make use of integration services.
The proposal is related to the first supplementary budget proposal for 2026 and is intended to be considered in conjunction with it.
The proposed act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 July 2026.
The deadline for submitting comments is at 16.15 on 20 November 2025.
Inquiries
Henna Huhtamäki, Director, tel. +358 295 163 072
Silja Dahlgren, Legal Adviser, tel. +358 295 163 391
Annu Jaakkola, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163 330
Email addresses are in the format [email protected]