Reform schools
Reform schools are national service providers for demanding substitute care and demanding special care.
Reform schools operate in five different locations with a total of 107 places of care. The Act on the child welfare units under the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (1379/2010) lays down provisions on the operations of reform schools. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and, for the basic education organised in reform schools, the Finnish National Agency for Education are responsible for the performance guidance for reform school activities. Reform schools have boards of directors set by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare for four calendar years at a time.
The prison family unit is a separate, self‑contained section of the prison. A prison family unit is a home‑like child welfare facility that allows a parent to serve their prison sentence in the family unit during pregnancy or together with their child under the age of three. A child placed in a prison family unit must be under two years old.
Reform school units include:
- Lagmansgården reform school (Pietarsaari)
- Liminka reform school (Liminka)
- Sairila reform school (Mikkeli)
- Sippola reform school (Kouvola)
- Vuorela reform school (Vihti)
Prison Family Units:
- Vanaja–Ojoinen Open Prison Family Unit (Hämeenlinna
- Hämeenlinna Prison Family Unit (Hämeenlinna
Reform schools are specialised in producing a service where substitute care and special needs education form a rehabilitative entity. The key contents of the service include education and guidance in accordance with the child’s development level and needs, special needs education, support for healthy mental growth, family work and e.g. substance abuse work when necessary.
Reform schools organise a special care service which can safeguard the treatment, care and education of the children and young people with the most difficult life situations and most challenging symptoms. Reform schools can also provide the mental health services referred to in the Mental Health Act excluding involuntary treatment.
Reform schools implement research and development projects. The work carried out with young people and their families and the used approaches are developed based on research knowledge. Experts by experience from reform schools have already served as partners for development for a long time.
Service Price List for Reform Schools 2026
The fees charged by Reform schools to wellbeing services counties and municipalities are determined pursuant to the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State (150/1992), based on commercial principles established by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The pricing takes into account the subsidy for chargeable service operations allocated in the State Budget in order to reduce the prices of services.
The Board of Directors confirmed the prices on 28 November 2025. This price list is valid from 1 January 2026 until further notice. Reform schools may revise the prices as necessary to ensure cost equivalence.
- Special care €990 / day
- Advanced-level institutional care €890 / day
- Basic education €213 / school day
Important Information
Reform schools do not charge fees for TUVA students.
Reform schools charge the full daily rate for reserving a care placement from the date on which the placement has actually been reserved for the child concerned. In addition, a daily rate reduced by 50% is charged for reserving the placement if the child placed is temporarily transferred to another housing unit, for example for the duration of a special care period or for another comparable reason.
Strategic guidelines of the Reform schools
MISSION
We safeguard the development and growth of children toward a good life.
VISION
We are the most socially significant national provider of the highest-level residential child welfare services.
OUR VALUES
Safety
Inclusion
Humanity
Child-Centeredness
On a path towards positive growth
Reform schools are a place for young people to break out of a negative spiral, be part of a safe community, and find their own way.
Meaningful work
Reform Schools are national service providers specializing in demanding child welfare placements and intensive special support within basic education. Reform Schools operate across five different units.
Reporting Misconduct
Are you a current or former employee, trainee, or partner of the Reform Schools? If you suspect a violation of the law in certain areas of justice within the operations of the Reform Schools, you can report it safely through the reporting channel.
You are entitled to protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act when you report misconduct observed in connection with your work, for example related to public procurement. Your identity will be kept confidential, and only specifically designated persons are allowed to handle your report. The law prohibits retaliation against the whistleblower.
Requirements for Submitting a Report
You may report misconduct if
at the time of reporting, you have reasonable grounds to believe that the information about the violation is accurate
the information about the violation falls within the scope of the Whistleblower Protection Act
Learn about the scope (Office of the Chancellor of Justice)you have observed the misconduct in connection with your work.
How to Submit a Report
You may submit a report to the external reporting channel of the Office of the Chancellor of Justice if you do not have access to the Reform Schools’ Kartta system. Read more about submitting a report (Office of the Chancellor of Justice)
If you are currently working with us, please primarily use the internal reporting channel of the Reform Schools to submit your report.