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Child home care allowance and private day care allowance
Child home care allowance is available when a child under 3 is cared for at home after the parental allowance period. Private day care allowance is paid when the child is in a private day care centre or with a private carer.
Tukihaku asks only what is needed and fills in the Kela form for you. Application help costs 1.99 €, and the first calculation is free.
Fill in the application Find out which benefits you can getWho can get child home care allowance?
- A family with a child under 3 who is not in municipal early childhood education.
- The allowance is also paid for siblings cared for at home.
- Until the end of 2026 the carer can be a parent or someone else, for example a grandparent. From 1 January 2027 only a parent who cares for the child personally can get the allowance.
How much is child home care allowance in 2026 and 2027?
The care allowance is 377.68 € a month for one child under 3, 113.07 € for each other sibling under 3 and 72.66 € for each other sibling under school age who is cared for at home. A low-income family also gets a care supplement of up to 202.12 € a month. Many municipalities pay a municipal supplement. The amounts stay the same in 2027.
Estimate your allowance with the calculator
How do you apply for child home care allowance?
- Apply in OmaKela or with form WH 1.
- For the care supplement, report the family's income.
- For private day care allowance, the day care centre or carer fills in form WH 2.
When should you apply?
Apply well before your parental allowance ends. The allowance can be paid retroactively for up to 6 months.
What attachments are needed?
- For private day care allowance, form WH 2 filled in by the day care centre or carer
Frequently asked questions
Can I get home care allowance if the parent works?
Until the end of 2026 yes, if the child is cared for at home, for example by the other parent or a grandparent, and is not in municipal early childhood education. From 1 January 2027 the allowance is only paid to a parent who cares for the child personally. A support period that started before that is paid to the end under the old conditions.
What is the municipal supplement?
Some municipalities pay their own supplement on top of the home care allowance. Ask your municipality. Kela pays it with the allowance if the municipality has agreed this with Kela.
Will child home care allowance change in 2027?
Yes. Parliament approved the changes, and they take effect on 1 January 2027. The allowance is only paid to a parent who cares for the child personally. In addition, the applicant must have lived in Finland or another EU or EEA country for at least 3 years after turning 16. The requirement also applies to Finnish citizens, but not to people who moved to Finland before 1 January 2027 or to people under 19. A support period that started before 1 January 2027 is paid to the end under the old conditions, but new applications and continuation applications follow the new conditions. The amounts stay the same.
Tukihaku asks only what is needed and fills in the Kela form for you. Application help costs 1.99 €, and the first calculation is free.
Fill in the application Find out which benefits you can getSee also
- I moved to Finland – which Kela benefits can I get?You can usually get Kela benefits from the day you move, if you live in Finland permanently or work here.
- Parental benefits and maternity grantKela pays pregnancy allowance in late pregnancy and parental allowance after the child is born.
- Child benefit and single-parent supplementChild benefit is paid for every child under 17 living in Finland.
- Child maintenance allowanceKela pays child maintenance allowance when the child's other parent does not pay confirmed child support, or when child support has been confirmed at a low amount because of the parent's poor ability to pay.
This page is also available in Finnish. Suomeksi.
Official information: kela.fi.