Binding staffing ratios for student welfare

Key points of the debate

There was broad consensus in the debate on the necessity of the bill to prevent the growing distress of children and young people and to bring help into schools. Disagreement or concern was primarily raised over whether there are enough trained psychologists and school social workers in the country to meet the ratio, and how service funding and the local service principle will be realised in the future wellbeing services counties.

• –Will there be enough skilled professionals to implement the binding ratio across the whole country?
• –How will student welfare services and funding be secured with the health and social services reform and the transfer to wellbeing services counties?

• Social DemocratsIn favour

  The proposal supports the Government's broad education policy line and ensures that early support and preventive student welfare services are equally accessible to everyone.

  ”oppilas‑ ja opiskelijahuoltoa vahvistetaan säätämällä sitovista mitoituksista sekä kelpoisuuksista psykologi‑ ja kuraattoripalveluihin.”

• Centre PartyIn favour

  The staffing ratio enables faster intervention in pupils' problems and prevents the need for more costly remedial measures, provided that the training of a skilled workforce is ensured.

  ”Riittävä määrä psykologeja ja kuraattoreita mahdollistaa nopeamman puuttumisen ongelmiin, kohdistetumman avun ja tasa-arvoisemmat resurssit ympäri Suomen.”

• GreensIn favour

  The ratio will improve employees' opportunities for genuine engagement and preventive work and prevent student welfare from becoming a target for municipal budget cuts.

  ”Nyt säätämällä psykologi- ja kuraattoripalveluille selkeät mitoitukset vahvistetaan juuri jokaisen lapsen ja nuoren tasa-arvoista mahdollisuutta oppia.”

• Left AllianceIn favour

  A binding ratio guarantees high-quality and more equal student welfare services across all levels of education and ensures the successful expansion of compulsory education.

  ”Sitovalla kuraattori‑ ja psykologipalveluiden henkilöstömitoituksella voidaan turvata oppilaiden ja opiskelijoiden tarvitsemien palvelujen nykyistä tasa-arvoisempi saatavuus ja laatu”

• Swedish People's PartyIn favour

  The ratio is essential to address the increased distress of children and young people and regional differences in availability, and clarifying the qualification requirements for school social workers will also secure the retention of Swedish-speaking staff.

  ”Näin ei voi olla, ja on erittäin kannatettavaa, että esityksessä ehdotetaan sitovaa henkilöstömitoitusta koulukuraattoreille ja ‑psykologeille.”

• National Coalition PartyIn favour with reservations

  The objective and the ratio are highly commendable, but there are major concerns regarding the adequacy of skilled staff and funding, as well as staff retention in schools after the wellbeing services county reform.

  ”kannan tietysti huolta siitä, miten me näitä psykologeja ja kuraattoreja sitten saadaan riittävästi.”

• Finns PartyIn favour

  The reform and investments are important for preventing distress among young people, and the transition to wellbeing services counties provides an opportunity to deploy staff more flexibly as a local service.

  ”Sitten tämä mitoitus kaiken kaikkiaan ja rahoitus ovat todella erittäin tärkeitä asioita, ja toivon, että hallitus, nykyinen ja tuleva, ja eduskunta huolehtivat niistä.”

This digest was generated by AI from 13 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.