More municipalities in Finland now offering home care allowances to support families caring for young children

The number of municipalities in Finland providing home care allowances has risen from 52 to 64 since 2022. The average home care allowance in Finland is now €189 per month, although the amount varies widely across different municipalities. Local governments are encouraging families to keep their children at home longer by offering this financial support.

More municipalities are now supporting families who care for their young children at home. Jarkko Lahtinen, development manager at the Association of Finnish Municipalities, notes that this is a reverse trend compared to previous years when the number of municipalities providing such allowances typically decreased. The Association inquires about this every two years, and in the last two surveys, 251 municipalities responded, representing the majority of Finland’s 309 municipalities.

In Hamina, Meea Jauhola, a local mother of three, recalls how the allowance helped her stay home longer with her children. Currently, Hamina provides a monthly allowance of €168 for each child under three years old, with additional increases available for families with multiple preschool-age children. Jauhola believes this financial support encourages families to remain in the area.

However, Hamina’s city council has considered discontinuing the allowance for budgetary reasons, although the education and training committee has proposed maintaining it. Committee chair Sauli Ojala explains in a video why they want to keep the allowance, stating that its removal might not yield significant savings.

The average allowance varies significantly; while some municipalities offer as little as €50, others provide several hundred euros per month. The Association notes that municipalities justify these payments by highlighting their role in helping families delay the start of early education for their children, as an increasing number of one-year-olds are now entering daycare.