The Adolescents Project

This project studies the trends in the use of benefits and services, especially rehabilitation benefits, among adolescents. The project takes into account the 2019 legislative reform aiming to steer adolescents not in education or employment, or otherwise at risk for marginalisation, towards Kela’s vocational rehabilitation and thereby finding their education and employment path.

As part of this project, we follow the trends in sickness-based income security benefits, such as disability pension, among adolescents and examine the benefit paths and transitions after, for example, completing vocational rehabilitation.

This project includes a collaborative study with the City of Espoo and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), where benefit and service paths as well as factors risking and shielding from marginalisation are studied from early childhood by combining data on entire age cohorts. Furthermore, a register-based follow-up study on adolescents participating in Kela’s comprehensive services (multi-professional services and special customer support services) since 2019 is carried out in the project.

Researchers

• Karoliina Koskenvuo, Leading Researcher
• Miia Saarikallio-Torp
• Tomi Ståhl

Project Implementation Period

1.3.2009–31.12.2024

Project Results

• Nuoren ammatillisen kuntoutuksen myöntöedellytysten tiukentaminen ei todennäköisesti toisi säästöjä vaan lisäisi kustannuksia (research blog)
• Työkyvyttömyyseläkettä saaneiden nuorten määrä kääntyi vuonna 2021 laskuun ensimmäistä kertaa kahteenkymmeneen vuoteen