FinSoc - The Finnish Evaluation Unit for Social Services at the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES)

The main function of FinSoc is to promote and develop evaluation methods for social services. FinSoc employs a staff of 14 professionals.

The main objectives of the unit are:

to develop and promote the use of feasible evaluation methods in the field of social services in collaboration with practitioners and academic researchers
to perform practical evaluation studies/investigation
to disseminate and communicate evaluation research and research findings
to encourage international networking
to publish significant works in the field (FinSoc News and working papers/English-language summaries, academic and professional articles)
to provide training, supervision and consultation activities at the levels of policy, management and practice

More information on
FinSoc: http://www.stakes.fi/finsoc/english
FinSoc publications: http://www.stakes.fi/finsoc/english/publications.htm

FinSoc is part of STAKES which is one of a group of agencies under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 1992 and employs a staff of 470. It takes its bearings from the strategic policies of the Ministry. Research, development and information resources are the bases of STAKES' activities. Openness, public discussion, a solid theoretical and methodological base and close contacts with domestic and international researchers are the mainstays of its research work. Research and development projects are grouped into entities that tie in with different focal areas. STAKES is also a medium-sized publishing house.

Contact information

FinSoc Unit
PO Box 220, FIN-00531 HELSINKI, FINLAND
Office: Lintulahdenkuja 4
Fax: + 358-9-3967 2227
Stakes web site: http://www.stakes.fi/english

Dr. Riitta Haverinen
Research director, adjunct professor
Head of FinSoc
Email: Riitta.Haverinen@stakes.fi
Tel. + 358-9-3967 2087
Fax. +358-9-3967 2287
GSM: 35840-5744132 ja/or 35840-8493669

Send feedback to FinSoc:
http://www.stakes.fi/palvelut/finsoc/english/feedback.htm