RILA – Crime-specific child welfare as a means of supporting young people’s social inclusion and desistance from crime

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Project

01.07.2026 - 31.12.2028

Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Information People

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, (VTR)

The project is led by Laurea University of Applied Sciences and University of Eastern Finland is a partner in the research project as well as the wellbeing services county of North Savo.

The research project is based on findings from previous studies indicating that existing social work services do not fully meet the multiple service needs of young people who engage in offending and are involved with child welfare services, and that there is insufficient research-based knowledge about their needs. The project examines how crime-specific child welfare can help prevent and reduce offending behaviour among young people.

The study focuses on research evidence on effective child welfare interventions and models of practice, child welfare statistics from the wellbeing services county, statistics from the Finnish Prison and Probation Service’s client information system (Roti), and the experiential knowledge of child welfare professionals, young people, and experts by experience.

Based on the research findings, a Policy Lab process will be used to co-create, together with wellbeing services counties, young people, and decision-makers, research-based recommendations and solutions for crime-specific child welfare practice to better address the multiple challenges faced by young people who engage in offending.

The project examines and develops the child welfare process, including community-based support measures, out-of-home care, and aftercare provided to young people aged 12–23. The study explores how offence-specific child welfare can prevent and reduce offending among young people.

The study addresses the following research questions:

What child welfare interventions and models of practice have been shown to be effective in reducing offending among young people, and how are they reflected in public strategies? (Literature review and document analysis, WP1)
How is child welfare involvement associated with offending during adolescence and early adulthood? (Quantitative study, WP2)
How should offence-specific child welfare practice be developed to better respond to the challenges associated with changes in youth offending? (Qualitative study, WP3)

In addition, the project aims to develop research-based solutions and recommendations through a Policy Lab process (WP4) for offence-specific child welfare practice, enabling it to better respond to the diverse challenges faced by young people who offend.