North Ostrobothnia welfare region receives formal notice over flawed client data systems

The North Ostrobothnia welfare region, known as Pohde, has been issued a formal notice by Finland’s Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) over persistent deficiencies in its social welfare client information systems, including cases where child protection reports disappeared within the system, Yle reports.

According to the authority, the flaws have led to critical failures, such as child protection notifications failing to reach the intended units for processing. The LVV launched its investigation in August 2025 after receiving multiple reports of misconduct, including instances where submissions were lost in the system without being addressed.

The authority determined that Pohde has not ensured its social welfare client data systems meet legal requirements. Until now, the welfare region has used systems from three different providers, all of which were deemed inadequate. Even the new Saga system, set for full implementation in June, contains “critical and serious deficiencies,” the LVV stated.

Pohde has until the end of the year to submit a report to the LVV proving its systems comply with regulatory standards. In a statement, the region acknowledged the shortcomings and took the notice “very seriously.”

Leena Pimperi-Koivisto, Pohde’s social services director, confirmed the transition to the Saga system has faced delays but asserted the new platform will meet national requirements once fully operational. “Acquiring and implementing a new client data system has been a lengthy process,” she said, adding that the system is expected to be fully functional by June.