Clients' rights

The Social welfare ombudsman

Social welfare ombudsmen Pekka Einemäki and Taija Heimo serve the municipalities of Tampere, Kangasala, Lempäälä, Nokia, Pirkkala, Vesilahti, Ylöjärvi, Valkeakoski and Pälkäne. If the social welfare ombudsman is busy, clients should leave a message by voicemail so that the ombudsman may contact them later. Services are also available by e-mail.

Appointments should be booked in advance by telephone. Client appointments are handled this way for all municipalities that have agreed on the arrangement of these services via the City of Tampere. The services of the social welfare ombudsman are free of charge.

Services are based on legislation

The Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients entered into force at the beginning of 2001. It promotes client-orientation, the client’s right to high-quality social services, and the commitment of both the client and social welfare workers to joint agreements. The client has the right to good treatment without discrimination.

Social welfare service providers must take into account their clients’ wishes, opinions, interests, individual needs, language requirements and cultural background. Social welfare workers must inform the clients of their rights and obligations, as well as of any alternative courses of action possible and their effects on the client’s situation.

Tasks of the social welfare ombudsman

The Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients (section 24) defines the tasks of the social welfare ombudsman as follows :

• To advise clients on issues related to application of the act

• To help clients to file objections

• To inform clients of their rights

• To act otherwise for the promotion and honouring of clients’ rights

• To monitor the development of clients’ rights and status in the municipality and to issue an annual report thereon to the municipal Executive Board

The social welfare ombudsman is an independent official whose task is to protect the interests of the clients. The social welfare ombudsman informs and co-operates with individual clients, as well as authorities, client organisations and service providers.

When detecting any faults or shortcomings, the social welfare ombudsman will directly inform the municipal Social Welfare Board or the Regional State Administrative Agency so that corrective measures can be taken.

The social welfare ombudsman maintains a client register that cannot be accessed by other authorities and in which personal data will be stored in case handling so requires.

The social welfare ombudsman should be contacted with matters related to social welfare services. This includes both public and private service providers in, for example, the following service sectors:

• general social work

• income support

• parenting and family counselling

• children’s day care

• services for people with intellectual disabilities

• services for abusers of alcohol or other substances

• services for the disabled

• children’s custody and visitation rights, including child support

• paternity issues

• institutional and non-institutional care for the elderly

• child protection

• caring for close relatives

The social services ombudsman is not responsible for advocacy related to the services of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) and job centres, or providers of health care, debt counselling or guardianship services.