fundamental and human rights �.� national preventive mechanism against torture the identification of suicide risks and the actions, responsibilities and communication of employees for the prevention of suicides. The staff ’s awareness of the guidelines and training in the prevention of suicides should also be increased. 3.5.13 UNITS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES Under the Child Welfare Act, only children placed in an institution or similar place (including emergency placement) may be subjected to the restrictive measures referred to in legislation. Foster care may be provided by units owned by municipalities, or the municipality responsible for the placement may buy foster care services from units maintained by private service providers. There are roughly 770 units providing foster care services in Finland, out of which some 670 are run by private service providers. Visits by the NPM have been made exclusively to institutions or similar units. As many children as possible, i.e. everyone who will talk to the NPM, are interviewed during child welfare visits. The children interviewed are assured that they can contact the NPM if they are subjected to disciplinary or other similar measures following the visit. The personnel are also reminded that any retaliatory measures against the children are prohibited. This is also mentioned in every visit report. The visits are, as a rule, unannounced and usually last one or two days. The visits focus on any restrictive measures to which the children may be subjected and the related decision-making process: whether a decision on restrictive measures has been made or not, and has the child been heard regarding the decision. Shortcomings have also been detected in notifying the children of decisions. There is also a lack of awareness of the difference between restrictive measures and acceptable childrearing methods. Restrictions may be imposed on the children as part of their normal upbringing, but most such restrictions require an administrative decision. The Deputy-Ombudsman has considered it necessary that the authorities charged with the supervision of foster care react when they notice such issues or deficiencies in foster care that could affect the treatment or care of the child. The authorities should notify the municipality of placement, State Regional Administrative Agency (AVI) and any other municipalities that are known to have placed children in the same place of foster care of such situations without delay. The State Regional Administrative Agency responsible for the regional steering and supervision of social welfare services should also communicate any shortcomings, especially to the municipalities responsible for the placements. All visit reports are sent to the unit which has been visited and to the local AVI. Some reports are also sent to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira), which is responsible for the national guidance and supervision of social services. A copy is always sent to the local authorities in the municipality responsible for the placement of the child. The Deputy-Ombudsman had also found it necessary to inform the social workers in charge of the placed children of the observations and recommendations made as a result of the visit. The Deputy-Ombudsman has required that social workers discuss the content of the report with the placed child. Institutions usually take a constructive attitude to the Deputy-Ombudsman’s opinions and comply with the recommendations given. In most cases, they react to the observations and recommendations promptly, either while the visit is ongoing or upon receiving a draft copy of the visit report. In the reporting year, however, the Deputy-Ombudsman was exceptionally forced to strictly remind one institution of its obligation to comply with the opinions of the authority charged with the oversight of legality. The Deputy-Ombudsman also drew the institution’s attention to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s and NPM’s right to receive information. The Deputy-Ombudsman was forced to emphasise that the child welfare institutions have the obligation to cooperate with the Parliamentary Ombudsman or other overseers of legality in order to provide them with all of the information required to perform the inspection 95