Whether you’re thinking about divorce or looking for support during the divorce a number of free online services are available to assist you. Services to help you with parenting after the divorce and helping your child through the divorce are also available. Help is available in the form of individual counselling, seminars, and peer support .
Individual discussion support
Apua eroon -The Apua Eroon (Divorce Help) chat gives you the chance to talk to a professional trained in divorce counselling. You don’t have to register to use the chat.
The chat for children and teenagers is meant for children and teenagers under 18. Topics you can discuss in the chat include your parents’ divorce, problems at home, and feeling unsafe or afraid at home. You can also discuss relationships or break-ups of your own. The chat is open on weekdays from 3pm to 6pm.
Sinuiksi provides support and guidance in topics related to sexual orientation and gender diversity, as well as questions about dating and relationships.
The organisation for LGBTQ+ families Perhesuhdekeskus provides help with challenging family situations, such as co-parenting in blended families and co-parenting situations involving more than two adults. Perhesuhdekeskus offers appointments over Skype.
Online peer support groups and chats
At the Vanhemman neuvo ® -(Advice for parents) peer support group, divorced parents and parents that have made the decision to divorce can get together to discuss co-parenting, daily life with children after the divorce, and think about what the situation looks like from a child’s perspective. Peer support groups are also organised virtually. Check the schedules of peer support groups using the search function.
The coffee support group is a low commitment peer support group that gives divorced parents a chance to meet other divorced parents. Volunteer workers that are divorced parents themselves are usually on site too. The coffee support group is also open virtually. Search for the group’s timetable using the search function. Search for the key word Erovertaiskahvila.
Leija is a closed virtual peer support group for parents raising children alone. The group runs for 5 weeks and each meeting is themed. You also have the possibility to meet other parents raising their children completely alone.
Single parent’s groups are good places to meet other single parents.
The EETU-live chat is a group run by the Miessakit association. Men can join the chat and discuss the divorce in an understanding environment. The chat is open to 12 registered users at the same time.
Professional help
A staff member can personally assist you with cultural differences, international custody disputes, moving abroad, what to do if you think your child is at risk of abduction and evaluating whether your child is at risk for abduction.
The chat is open on Tuesdays from 6pm to 8pm. You can access the chat from the bottom right corner of the page or here.
DIVORCE INFORMATION HELPLINE: Mondays to Thursdays 10am-4pm and Wednesdays 10am-7pm. If you need advice on how to calculate child support, or arrange where your child is going to live, or have questions about child maintenance, guardianship, or visitation rights, call the Divorce information helpline at: 020 774 9800