School safety

Education laws stipulate that schools, nurseries and other educational institutions must be safe. There are also provisions on the safety of educational institutions in other laws and regulations, such as the Finnish Occupational Safety and Health Act. 

The Finnish National Agency for Education publishes practical safety planning and management guidance on its website. The guides are designed for 

• education and training providers, 
• head teachers of children’s nurseries and schools, and 
• owners and managers of nursery and school buildings.  

School safety networks

Regional State Administrative Agencies coordinate school safety networks that help to ensure health and safety in 

• children’s nurseries, 
• primary and secondary schools, and 
• sixth form colleges and vocational schools.  

The role of regional school safety networks is to promote multidisciplinary cooperation and disseminate information and best practices. They help to keep local authorities and other education providers up to date on the latest local, regional and national developments in school safety. They also contribute to preparedness planning by analysing information and phenomena and preparing remedial actions in different areas.