Quality Report of the OSF Publication Series
Institutional Care and Housing Services in Social Welfare
Relevance of statistical data
The statistical material on institutional care and housing
services in social care contains data on institutional care and
housing services with 24-hour/part-time assistance for older
people, people with physical or intellectual disabilities and
people with mental health problems.
The data on residential homes for older people and similar units
are given as the number of clients and care days during the
statistical year, broken down by region and municipality and by
type of service provider. As regards client census data and care
days, the data shows persons aged 75 and over and their proportion
of the population of the same age. In addition, client census data
of 31 December are given by age group (under 65, 65-74, 75-84 and
over 85) and per thousand persons of the same age. The client
census data of 31 December are also given by average age and need
for care.
Data on institutions for people with intellectual disabilities
and similar units are given as the number of clients and care days
during the statistical year. The number of clients and care days
are given by region and municipality and by type of service
provider. The client census data of 31 December are also given per
thousand persons aged 15-64.
Data on institutions for substance abusers are given as the
number of clients, care periods and care days during the
statistical year, broken down by region. The data are also given
per thousand persons of the same age, in the following age groups:
under 25, 25-64, 15-64 and over 65. The percentage accounted for by
men is also given. Care days and care periods are given by type of
service provider.
Clients in housing services are given for each year, based on
the client census data of 31 December. The information is given by
region and municipality and by type of service provider. The data
on housing services is also broken down by service branch.
The Statistical Report is intended for municipal and
private-sector service providers, municipal officials, planning
officials and researchers working in the area of social welfare and
health care.
The text section of the Report explains the concepts and
definitions used in the statistics.
The collection of data is based on the Act on the Statistical
Service of the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare
and Health (409/2001), as well as on section 5 of the Act on the
National Institute for Health and Welfare (668/2008).
Description of methods used in statistical research
The data on institutional care and housing services are
collected from municipal and private-sector residential homes for
older people, sheltered housing units with 24-hour assistance for
older people, institutional care and housing services with 24-hour
assistance for people with intellectual disabilities, sheltered
housing units with 24-hour assistance for people with severe
disabilities and psychiatric patients, detoxification and
rehabilitation centres operated as part of services for substance
abusers, and sheltered housing with part-time assistance. The
statistical population consists of all people receiving
institutional care or sheltered housing provided as social care. It
does not include housing service units operated as part of services
for substance abusers or child welfare institutions. Service
providers are obliged to provide THL with discharge data concerning
institutional care and 24-hour care, as well as client census data,
by the end of March the following year.
The data are submitted on data collection forms or as sequential
files on discs/memory sticks. The data are stored electronically in
the Care Register for Social Welfare maintained by THL pursuant to
the Act on the Statistical Service of the National Research and
Development Centre for Welfare and Health (409/2001) and section 2
of the Act on the National Research Institute for Health and
Welfare (668/2008).
Coverage of statistical data
As regards residential homes for older people, the statistics
have nearly full coverage. As for sheltered housing for older
people with 24-hour and part-time assistance, the coverage is 96
per cent. The statistics on institutional care for people with
intellectual disabilities have nearly full coverage. The data on
housing with 24-hour assistance are incomplete with regard to
municipalities, whereas the corresponding data for joint municipal
boards and the private sector have nearly full coverage. The
coverage of the data on housing with part-time assistance is about
80 per cent, with shortcomings for all service providers. As used
herein, institutions operated as part of services for substance
abusers (detoxification and rehabilitation centres) refer to
institutions approved by the Social Insurance Institution as
institutions providing care that entitles the client to a
rehabilitation allowance, and to all detoxification centres.
Concerning these institutions, 90 per cent of the data have been
obtained. The service providers that have failed to submit data are
mostly small detoxification units.
Correctness and accuracy of data
The data are correct in so far as they have been reported
correctly. Errors appear, for example, as regards service branches,
start dates for care and appropriate care places. The data have
also included people who no longer receive the services concerned.
Where data is completely missing, this is often due to problems
with reporting programs or personnel changes at the data suppliers.
Once an error is detected in the Care Register, efforts are made to
correct it in connection with the Register's normal compilation and
maintenance procedures. Data suppliers themselves are usually asked
to correct any errors or deficiencies detected in their data.
Timeliness and promptness of published data
The Statistical Report on Institutional Care and Housing
Services in Social Care is produced annually by THL and published
in October.
Accessibility and transparency/clarity of data
The Statistical Report is published on the THL website at
www.thl.fi/tilastot.
Municipalities and joint municipal boards will receive an e-mail
notification when the Report has been completed.
Comparability of statistical data
Data for the Care Register for Social Welfare have been gathered
since 1995. Although a few minor changes have been made over the
years, the core data content of the Register has remained almost
unchanged, describing service providers, clients, client admissions
and discharges, and the care and services received by clients.
NB. The data on institutions for substance abusers (Appendix
Table 6) in the Care Register for Social Welfare differ from the
data in the SOTKAnet database, which are based on data on municipal
activities and finances maintained by Statistics Finland. The Care
Register for Social Welfare only includes data on institutions
operated as part of care and services for substance abusers
approved by the Social Insurance Institution as institutions
providing care that entitle the client to a rehabilitation
allowance, and all detoxification units. In these institutions,
rehabilitation is short-term and does not include long-term
accommodation.
Clarity and consistency
The data given in the Statistical Summary on institutional care
and housing services in social care are nationwide. The figures do
not include residential and foster care for children and young
people, assignment-based family care, or housing services for
substance abusers.
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