Helsinki to phase out cabinet beds in day-care centres

Helsinki will remove cabinet beds from its day-care centres during 2026 and 2027, Yle reports, citing a city statement.

The city conducted a review and condition survey of the beds in the spring. Cabinet beds were in use at 99 of Helsinki’s 331 day-care centres, with 1,447 beds in total.

Fifteen centres had replaced their cabinet beds during the summer.

The safety of the beds has come under scrutiny after a child at Kelokuusi day-care centre in Vantaa was trapped between a cabinet bed and a wall in an accident at the end of March. The child later died from the injuries.

Vantaa subsequently decided to remove cabinet beds with risk-related structures from its day-care centres. Helsingin Sanomat was the first to report Helsinki’s decision.