A well-being employee has the capacity to meet the child individually and safely.

19.11.2025 | This week is the Child Rights Week, and this year’s theme – a child’s right to belong – has two meanings: a child has the right to belong and become attached to the community and society, and on the other hand, they also have the right not only to be seen but also to be heard.

Kotka, a UNICEF Child Friendly City, is celebrating the week by publishing thoughts and reflections from the city’s elected officials and various responsibility areas about Children’s Rights and the Child Friendly City work.

The second part of the article series features the city’s Human Resources unit.

“The Human Resources unit functions in the organisation as an administrative background actor, but its decisions and ways of operating can have significant indirect impacts on children. The Human Resources unit influences, among other things, the conditions in which adults who work with children do their work and how services related to children are carried out.

The actions of the Human Resources unit to support staff wellbeing, endurance, and work atmosphere are reflected in the work done with children (e.g. teachers, early childhood educators, youth work). A well-being employee has the capacity to meet the child individually and safely. Measures that support wellbeing and work ability are implemented systematically and with continuity. Staff endurance is also assessed through personnel surveys and in cooperation with occupational health care.

The quality and availability of services are also essential for children. Recruitment practices and staffing levels affect how sufficient and competent the staff is in children’s services.

If, for example, positions cannot be filled or staff turnover is high, the continuity of services for children suffers. Suitability and professional competence are, as a rule, required for positions. Investing in recruitment and employer image can at best bring positive impacts also on the availability of workforce working with children.

The Human Resources unit works to promote equality and nondiscrimination in the organisation. Decisions related to human resources can support or weaken equality and diversity in the work community — and, through that, model values of equality for children. In addition, for example, supporting family leave and work flexibility eases the everyday life of families and indirectly affects children’s wellbeing. Experiences of reconciling work and other life are regularly surveyed in connection with updating the equality plan.

The competence of professionals working with children is supported, among other things, through training. The Human Resources unit also works to strengthen safety. This affects not only the safety and protection of employees but also of children. Recruitment processes include, under certain conditions, checking the criminal background of those working with children. Functional procedures help prevent risks to children’s safety.”