Two group homes for minors to be closed down by Finnish Immigration Service

The Finnish Immigration Service is reducing the accommodation capacity of units for minors to better correspond to current demand. Adjustments to capacity will help make reception activities as cost-effective as possible. This time, reducing accommodation capacity means that the contracts of Kotokunta Oy for the group home in Lahti and of Solum Yhtiöt Aves Oy for the group home in Savonlinna will be discontinued in September, and the group homes will stop operating by 31 December 2024.

“The group homes will inform their clients of any changes well in advance, and an assessment of the clients’ situations will be made. When transferring clients, we will take into account children’s schools, for example, to the extent it is possible,” says Elina Nurmi, Director of Reception Services Department.

Reception activities must be cost-efficient

The Finnish Immigration Service is continuously monitoring the need of accommodation capacity and the cost-effectiveness of the reception system.

The number of new applicants for international protection and the number of people granted temporary protection has reduced during the past year. Another reason why the need for accommodation capacity provided by reception centres has dropped is that many beneficiaries of temporary protection have applied for a municipality of residence and have moved from reception centres to municipalities. Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection can apply for a municipality of residence after they have resided in Finland continuously for one year.

“The need for accommodation capacity will very likely drop during the autumn, which will lead to either further units being closed down or at least to changes in accommodation capacity in reception centres and units for minors. Decisions on other changes have not yet been made. We will inform of the possible closings once there are decisions in place,” says Nurmi.

At present, Finland has altogether 72 reception centres, their secondary branches and service points for clients in private accommodation, as well as 20 reception units for minors. The number of people registered in the reception system is currently approximately 26,000, and 47 per cent of the clients live in private accommodation. The majority of the reception system clients are Ukrainians who receive temporary protection.

The Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for the acquisition and procurement of reception centres and for their guidance and supervision. The reception centres maintained by the Finnish Immigration Service are located in Helsinki, Lappeenranta (Joutseno) and Oulu.

Revised on 10 October 2024 at 12.11: the name of company Solum Yhtiöt Aves Oy.