Children

Here you will find information about the Swedish education path, from daycare through comprehensive school, and what school subjects to keep in mind. If you look for free time activities for children in Swedish you will find a quite a few of them here too.

Pregnancy and financial assistance for your family.

Kela is the Social Insurance Institution of Finland that provides basic economic security for everyone living in Finland. It is from Kela you get financial assistance before and after giving birth.

Maternity and child health guidance in Swedish

When you are pregnant you have the right to maternity and child health guidance. The guidance is provided by the public health care.  It is recommended that you contact the maternity clinic when a pregnancy test gives a positive result, and then they will guide you through the pregnancy.

Helsingfors

In Helsinki/Helsingfors can you freely choose where you want to go. Maternity care in Swedish is offered in Kallio , MunkkiniemiMyllypuro and Viiskulma.
In Helsinki/Helsingfors the Swedish healthcare and social care service is centralized in Kallio called Berghälls familjecenter. 
Here is a page where all health and social services in Swedish that Helsingfors offers is collected. The page is only in Swedish.

Esbo

In Espoo/Esbo you will find public Swedish maternity and child care at Iso Omena and in Tapiola.

Vanda

Vantaa/Vanda hasn’t centralized their Swedish healthcare services. You can phone the counseling and appointment number for Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, 09 839 25900, and ask for more advice.

Grankulla

The maternity and child health clinic in Kaunianen/Grankulla is in the middle of the town.

Activities for families with infants and toddlers

The baby’s first year is a time of learning for the mother and the whole family. Helsinki city’s 0–1-year-olds web-page has guides about a baby’s first year as well as information on the services that the city offers after your baby is born.

Folkhälsan has a lot of Swedish speaking activities in the Capital region for when you are expecting and up until the child is 12 years.

Helsingfors

LillaLuckan in the center of Helsinki/Helsingfors provides many different Family cafe’s. All families are welcome to the cafés that are free of charge and you don’t need to sign up beforehand. The family cafe’s program is published weekly in the facebook-group LillaLuckans familjecaféer.

Folkhälsan arranges Family café Tallen on Lauttasaari. It’s open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

In Puotila, you will find a family café , it is open on Mondays.

Helsinki city offers family events in Swedish at Oodi and at playgrounds.

Esbo

Folkhälsan arranges a free Multicultural Family Café.

Esbo Lutheran Church arranges family cafés in different chapels around Esbo.

Vanda

Lutheran Church in Vanda arranges different family cafés in chapels around Vantaa/Vanda.

Grankulla

Kauniainen city/Grankullas “Öppna Familjeverksamhet”/”Open family activities” Facebook-page tells about different family activities that is arranged in Grankulla.

At Kasabergets park families can come play with kids and adults from Ekebo daycare, on Wednesdays between 9:15 and 11:00

The Finnish education system

Education is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish welfare society. Finland offers equal opportunities for education for all. Education from pre-primary to higher education is free of charge. The new curricula for pre-primary and basic education focus on learning, not steering. Teachers in Finland are highly educated and strongly committed to their work.
You can choose either the Swedish or the Finnish path for the education. If you start daycare, early childhood education, in Swedish you usually continue the education path in Swedish through basic education. A vast majority even continue the Swedish path at higher education as well. Read more.

THE SWEDISH EDUCATION SYSTEM CONSISTS OF:

Swedish preparatory education

Preparatory education is for children aged 6 – 17 years, that has just moved to Finland or whose Swedish or Finnish language skills are not yet on a level to study in Finnish or Swedish speaking groups. Preparatory education is offered for a maximum of one year.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PREPARATORY EDUCATION

During this year, pupils learn Swedish and the skills necessary for basis education. Every pupil receives their own education plan. Within the Swedish schools the preparatory education is offered in the Swedish schools within the same class.

Here you will get more information about the Swedish preparatory education in Helsinki.

If you want to get more information on preparatory education in Espoo, please contact Svenska bildningstjänster.

For more information about the Swedish schools in Vanda please phone 040 631 8731, for Grankulla contact the headmaster from the Swedish school Hagelstamska skolan.

Early childhood education or care

Also known as preschool, nursery school or daycare and is for children aged 1-5 years. In Finland most of the early childhood education is provided by the municipality, but you can also choose a private one.
Early childhood education supports the child’s growth, development and learning. At the same time, it also makes it possible for the parents to work or study. You will find the Swedish early childhood education here:

HELSINGFORS

A variety of daycare options is available for children living in the Capital region, from full time, five days a week, to hiring a nanny.
Here is a list to the Swedish daycare centres in Helsinki, both municipality based and private.
You can also find the Swedish daycares on this service map . When you allow the map to use your home address it will show you the Swedish early childhood education premise that your household belongs to.
Early childhood education can be applied all year round. An electronic application , or a version on paper,  must be sent to municipal daycare four months prior to the need for care. If the need for care is urgent and/or rises due to employment, studying or education, an early childhood education place must be applied for as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before the need for care begins.
In order to apply for private daycare, you must contact the desired daycare centre directly.

ESBO

Here is a list to the Swedish daycare centres in Esbo, both municipality based and private.
On this service map you can find the Swedish daycares in Esbo. When you allow the map to use your home address it will show you the Swedish early childhood education premise that your household belongs to.
Early childhood education can be applied all year round. An application to municipal daycare must be sent four months prior to the need for care. If the need for care is urgent and/or rises due to employment, studying or education, an early childhood education place must be applied for as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before the need for care begins.
In order to apply for private daycare, you must contact the desired daycare centre directly.

VANDA

Here is a list to the Swedish daycare centres in Vanda, both municipality based and private.
On this service map you can find the Swedish daycares in Vanda . When you allow the map to use your home address it will show you the Swedish early childhood education premise that your household belongs to.
Early childhood education can be applied all year round. An application to municipal daycare must be sent four months prior to the need for care. If the need for care is urgent and/or rises due to employment, studying or education, an early childhood education place must be applied for as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks before the need for care begins.
In order to apply for private daycare, you must contact the desired daycare centre directly.

GRANKULLA

Here is a list to the Swedish daycare centres in Grankulla, both municipality based and private.
You can find the daycares in Grankulla on this service map . When you allow the map to use your home address it will show you the Swedish early childhood education premise that your household belongs to.
Here you will find a detailed description of the daycare system in Finland and specially in Grankulla/Kauniainen.
The application system for early childhood eduacation is only in Swedish or Finnish in Grankulla.
You can contact the Chief for Early Childhood Education Annika Hiitola, annika.hiitola [at] kauniainen.fi , phone  050 341 6269, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday  9.30 – 11 if you have any questions.

Pre-primary education

Also know as preschool or kindergarten, for 6 years olds. You apply for the pre-primary education premise in January the same year your child will turn six. The pre-primary education starts in August that year. The pre-primary school year follows the calendar of the school, starts in August and ends in late May or beginning of June.
The goal of pre-primary education is to improve children’s opportunities for learning and development. It is free of charge and compulsory for all children.
To be noted; each child will be appointed to a Finnish pre-primary education premise if the mother tongue is something else then Swedish. If you want your child to enroll to a Swedish pre-primary eduction premise you should be in contact with the principal of the Swedish school or the head of the Swedish daycare in your area.

HELSINGFORS

On this service map you will find the Swedish pre-primary education premises in Helsinki. When you allow the map to use your home address it will show you the Swedish pre-primary education premise that your household belongs to.
Contact them if you want your child to take the Swedish education pathway.

ESBO

Each pre-primary schools in Espoo gather children from the same area as the school. Here you will find the Swedish pre-primary schools in Esbo.
If you have received a Finnish or English letter concerning the pre-primary education, but you would like your child to start in a Swedish pre-primary school, please contact Svenska bildningstjänster. Svenska bildningstjänster are those who deals with the Swedish education pathway.

VANDA

Short information about the pre-primary school in Vantaa can be found here. If you want to enroll into the Swedish pre-primary education please phone 040182 4080 for more advice.

GRANKULLA

Short information about the pre-primary school in Grankulla can be found here. If you want to enroll into the Swedish pre-primary education please contact the Chief for Early Childhood Education Annika Hiitola, annika.hiitola [at] kauniainen.fi , phone  050 341 6269, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday  9.30 – 11.

Comprehensive education

Also known as elementary school or junior school, for children aged 7-15 years. The city will appoint each child to a certain school based on where he/she resides. Enrollment is done either by visiting the school on a fixed date in January or online during a time period in January.
To be noted; each child will be appointed to a Finnish school if the mother tongue is something else then Swedish. If you want your child to enroll to a Swedish school you should be in contact with the principal of the Swedish school in your area.

HELSINGFORS

The Swedish schools in Helsingfors/Helsinki are divided in four main districts. Within each district you will find schools for primary education years 1 – 6 and in each district one school for pupils in classes 7– 9 grade. To find out the school that the children in your area belongs to you could visit the servicemap and type in your home address.

Enrolment in school is carried out online at asti.hel.fi in January. Instructions and further information about the online enrolment will be posted to homes along with the compulsory education note. Read more here.

ESBO

Here you will find more information about the Swedish schools in Esbo/Espoo.

Enrolling in the 1st grade of comprehensive school takes place in January through the electronic Wilma service. Read more here.

VANDA

In Vanda/Vantaa there is five Swedish comprehensive schools.
Here is the application form for the Swedish schools in Vanda. Within this form they do also ask about the wish to study the own mother tongue and own religion. It is important to fill in the information while applying for a place in the school.

You can enroll your child in first grade through the online Wilma system in January. Read more here.

GRANKULLA

In Grankulla/Kauniainen 1-6 graders are in Granhultsskolan and 7-9 graders in Hagelstamska skolan.

You can enroll your child in first grade through the online Wilma system. You can read more here, in Swedish, or contact Catharina Sunesdotter, rector of Swedish-language undergraduate education phone 050 4148305, catharina.sunesdotter(at)edu.grankulla.fi

School subjects to keep in mind

SWEDISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

In the Swedish school the pupils can study Swedish as a second language and literature (S2) if their mother tongue is not Swedish or they have a multilingual background. The selection of the syllabus is always based on the pupil’s needs as assessed by the pupil’s teachers.

OWN MOTHER TONGUE

The schools offers studies for maintaining the pupil’s mother tongue, home language or language skills obtained abroad. Remember to ask for the form about mother tongue studies. It’s up to the family to ask for this service.

The language studies are organized according to the number of pupils enrolled in these studies. Studies can be offered at the pupil’s own school, or they may have to take the lessons at another school. The language studies complement the comprehensive education, and the pupil will receive a separate verbal assessment for these studies.

Participation in the mother tongue studies is optional; however, once the pupil has enrolled in the studies, they are required to attend the lessons regularly.

The application form for mother tongue studies in Helsinki:

The application form for Esbo can be found here.
The applictaion form for Vanda can be found here. In Swedish only.
In Grankulla you have to ask for the form directly from the school.

RELIGION AND ETHICS

While visiting the school for registration or if you do it through Wilma this about the studies concerning religion and ethics. In all schools Pupils and students participate in religious studies conducted in accordance with the mainstream religion Lutheran, Orthodox religious studies or ethical studies.

Pupils and students who are members of other religious communities can choose to study their own religion or choose one of the other alternatives. As a parent you need to be active and choose which alternative you prefer for your child. There should be a form to fill in other vice ask for guidance. Religion and ethics is a compulsory subject in comprehensive school.

The Helsinki application form, in Finnish, can be found here.
The Esbo broschyr can be found here.
In Vanda and Grankulla you have to ask for the form straight from the school.

Disabilities

If your child has disabilities please contact maternity and child health guidance in your municipality.
If you need peer support you can contact SAMS, an interest organization in the Finnish-Swedish disability area or FDUV, the interest organization for Swedish-speaking persons with intellectual disabilities in Finland for assistance.

Activities for children

CULTURAL EVENTS

Lördagsgodis at LillaLuckan
Cultural events are organized regularly at LillaLuckan and programs on Saturdays are called Lördagsgodis. The events are mainly in Swedish, but Luckan wants to welcome anyone who wants to join. The program offers children a wide range of cultural activities and performances. All the events are free of charge, but there is a limited amount of spots that you can book at [email protected].

Teaterskolan DOT
The Theaterschool DOT offers Swedish drama pedagogy in Nordsjö, Busholmen and at Luckan for children at grades 1 -9 during next term. Visit their website for more information.

In Kulturkarnevalen you can find cultural family activities in Vanda for the spring of 2020.

The libraries in the Capital Region has a lot of events for children:
Helsingfors
Esbo
Vanda
Grankulla

GYMNASTICS AND SOCCER

Gymnastics

Helsingfors gymnastikklubb has some places left in the courses for that start in August. They have activities both in Liikuntamylly in Myllypuro (Sportkvarnen in Kvarnbäcken) and at Gloriahallen at Pikku Roobertinkatu (Lilla Robertsgatan). Please visit the website for more information.

Esbo if is a gymnastics club in Esbo that has groups for children from the age of 4 years.

Toppen is a gymnastics club in Vanda that has groups for children from the age of 4 years.

Grankulla gymnastikförening is a gymnastics club in Grankulla that has groups for families with children from the age of 2,5 years.

Football, soccer

Helsingfors IFK (HIFK) has over 540 children from the age of 4 to youngsters playing and practising football. HIFK offers football borth for boys and girls. Fill in their application form at their website, and they will be in touch with you.

SCOUTING

The Scouts usually accepts new members from around the age of 8 but ask your corps about their starting age.
In Helsinki you can find 14 Swedish corps. From this website you can find the corp that is suitable for you and their contact details. In Grankulla you find Grankulla Scoutkår and in Vanda Scoutkåren Nybyggarna. Esbo has four corps:

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AGED 6-12

Norr om stan offers free time activity and culture for children and adults in northern Helsinki and in Vanda. Visit their website for more information.

The Family Support website gives access to a wide range of services and reliable information on family matters in three languages, Finnish, Swedish and English

At the website Folkhälsan/barn you will find information in Swedish about and activities for children from birth to the age of twelve.

Harrastushaku is a joint search engine for Helsingfors, Esbo and Vanda for hobbies and summer camps. Write Svenska in the search box.

Sommarkompassen is a site where you can search for Swedish speaking summer camps.

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