Skip to content
Perhe Oulussa

Family in Oulu

Published14.08.2023
Oulu offers many kinds of services for families. On this page you will find instructions and advice for various situations.

Local information

Select your municipality in order to see information about local services when browsing the site.

This page contains information about services in Oulu. Other important information on the subject can be found on the page Family.

Marriage in Oulu

Before getting married, the couple to be married must request in writing an examination of the possible impediments to a marriage. Such an examination is performed at a Local Register Office. A request for an examination can be submitted to any Local Register Office. Civil marriages are also performed at Local Register Offices.

Digital and Population Data Services Agency at your service
Isokatu 4, PL 78
90101 OULU
Telephone: 029 553 9641

Further information: Marriage

Child’s birth

Contact a maternity clinic when you notice that you are pregnant. You can also contact an employee at your local maternity clinic through Omahoitopalvelu. Both parents should be present at the maternity clinic during early pregnancy visits.

Appointments at a maternity clinic
Telephone: 08 558 44356

If you are entitled to maternity allowance, maternity or paternity allowance or other subsidies, you can apply for them from Kela. You can make an application online or send it to Kela by post. You can also visit Kela's office.

Further information: Pregnancy and childbirth

Further information: Taloudellista tukea perheille 

Childcare and early childhood education

Oulu has both municipal and private day care centres. Some day care centres organise group day care. In addition, there are private family day care providers in Oulu.

You should apply for a day-care position for your child at least four months prior to the beginning of the care period.

You can apply for a day care position electronically, or obtain an application form at a day care centre or the Oulu10 service. You should return the application to a day care centre or an education office.

Read more: Taking care of a child

Link redirects to another websiteCity of Oulu

Day care centres

Link redirects to another websiteCity of Oulu

Day care and preschool

Link redirects to another websiteCity of Oulu

Family day care

Looking after a child at home

Child home care allowance includes a care allowance and a care supplement.

Support can be received when the family has at least one child under the age of 3 and the child does not have a municipal early childhood education place. Home care support can also be paid for children over 3 years old in the family, if the family has a child under 3 years old who receives home care support.

If you are entitled to child home care allowance, you can apply for it from Kela. You can fill in an application form online or send it to Kela by post. You can also visit a Kela office.

Kela
Sepänkatu 18
90101 Oulu

The City of Oulu organises free of charge family clubs to children between the ages of 0 and 5 who are in home care and their parents. Children will have other children to play with as well as versatile activities and parents will have peer support from other parents. 

Link redirects to another websiteCity of Oulu

Open Early Education

Problems in a family

Problems in marriage and relationships

A family counselling centre provides help with problems related to marriage and relationship.

Family counselling centre (Perheneuvola)
Arkistokatu 4 B, 4th floor
Appointments and phone consultation Mon and Thu from 10 am–12 noon
Telephone: 044 703 6120

Divorce 

Women and men can file for divorce at the office of the District Court of Oulu. You can also file for divorce alone. Applications can also be sent to the District Court office by post, a telegram or e-mail. A registered partnership is dissolved in the same way as a marriage.

District Court of Oulu (Oulun käräjäoikeus)
Torikatu 34,  90100 Oulu
Telephone: 029 564 9500

Further information: Divorce

Children in a divorce 

If your family includes children and your marriage comes to an end, you should contact a child supervisor. Social services will confirm an agreement on living arrangements, custody, visitation rights and child maintenance support.

Further information: Children in a divorce

Children's problems 

A public health nurse at a child health clinic can help you with questions related to the health, growth and development of your child. If necessary, you will be referred by the clinic to other services for help.

Child health clinic (Lastenneuvola)
Telephone: 08 558 44356

A school public health nurse, for example, can help with problems related to children of school age. If you are seeking help with issues related to the mental growth and development of children, you can make an appointment at a family counselling centre.

Further information: Children's problems

Link redirects to another websitePohjois-Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue

School health care

Young people's problems 

You can talk about your problems with a public health nurse, a guidance counsellor or a school social worker at your school or place of study, or with an adult at a youth centre.

Young people themselves or their parents can contact a family counselling centre. You can talk about your problems there and receive help and support. If you need a temporary place to spend the night in a crisis situation, please contact Oulu Mother and Child Home and Shelter.

Further information: Young people’s problems

Link redirects to another websiteThe Federation of Mother and Child homes and shelters

Mother and child shelter

When a close family member dies in Finland

The Evangelical Lutheran Parish of the Oulu region has several cemeteries. Since cemeteries owned by the Evangelical Lutheran church are used as common cemeteries, persons who did not belong to the Evangelical Lutheran church can also be buried there. In other words, they are meant for all residents. More information is available on the website of the Oulu Evangelical Lutheran Parish.

If your family member suddenly dies, you can seek crisis support from your local health centre, or outside office hours, from the joint emergency services of the City of Oulu. You can contact employees in the crisis team of the City of Oulu through a health centre. Evangelical Lutheran parishes in the Oulu region also organise grief support groups. In addition, help can be obtained through the crisis centre maintained by the Finnish Association of Mental Health.

Further information: Death