SymposiumSymposiumNORTHERN CHILDHOOD NORTHERN CHILDHOOD

– – lenses to children’s lives in Northern areaslenses to children’s lives in Northern areasDate: November 23th- 25thDate: November 23th- 25th

Place: Hotel Levitunturi, KittiläPlace: Hotel Levitunturi, Kittilä

The network ”Northern ChildhoodThe network ”Northern Childhood

• A subgroup of the Finnish Society for Childhood Studies, which have been founded after the Finnish Network of Childhood Studies will end its activity after 2008

The Finnish Network for Childhood StudiesThe Finnish Network for Childhood Studies 

• a multidisciplinary network that interconnects local and thematic research networks, research groups, and individual researchers working within childhood studies    

• Main aims of the network– to create a variety of opportunities for the researchers to

converse and collaborate across various disciplines – to form a general view of the current state of childhood studies

and the future challenges in the field– to establish preconditions for a multidisciplinary childhood

research programme – to promote interaction and collaboration among researchers,

administrative organizations, decision-makers, and the practice – to establish and enhance contacts with international research

centers and networks

 

• Events in 2008 and 2009

• National Congress on Childhood Studies was in 2-3 June 2008, Turku

• Special Interest Group meetings, themes and location:

•      1)     Agency and participation, Jyväskylä•      2)     Children & Politics, Tampere•      3)     Children and control, Helsinki•      4)     Northern dimension, Oulu •  Next National Congress on Childhood Studies will be held in 1- 2

June 2009 in Tampere.

• The coordination is located at the University of Jyväskylä. 

The Finnish Network for Childhood StudiesThe Finnish Network for Childhood Studies

The network ”Northern Childhood”The network ”Northern Childhood”

• ”a bottom up”-network, founded at the University of Oulu

• aims of the network: – a forum for discussions – to promote multidisciplinary research – to build a non-formal, innovative group – to publish papers, articles and books

Northern childhoodNorthern childhood

Children’s well-being

Everyday life of children

Children’s and youth’s participation

Social services for families with children

Early learning and learning environments

Members of the Northern Childhood- Members of the Northern Childhood- network/research groupnetwork/research group

• Anu Alanko: Developing ways for children and young people to participate in the city of Oulu

• Pirkko Hyvönen: Children as routine and adaptive experts in designing play environment

• Seija Järvi: Parents’ participation in early childhood education services

• Marko Kielinen: Education for all• Sinikka Kaartinen and Riitta-Liisa Korkeamäki: Joint Book Reading

as an Acquisition of Number Words• Eeva-Liisa Kronqvist: Early learning and children’s collaboration • Taina Kyrönlampi-Kylmänen: About children's perspective on

everyday life• Elina Viljamaa: Storytelling in children’s everyday life in home

context• Marikaisa Kontio. Children’s everyday contexts

• How do the network support childhood research?

• Which are the critical qualities? Which are the “good-enough” prerequisities for a good research group?

Challenges and possibilities of the Northern Challenges and possibilities of the Northern Childhood- research groupChildhood- research group• To clarify the basic task • To focus on multidisciplinarity and

multimethodology • To promote international collaboration,

especially to other Nordic countries• To link to other research groups and

networks • To find research funding • To find time for sharing (!)• To collect common data base or/and own

data?

An example of research funding: An example of research funding: Research Research Programme on Child Welfare and HealthProgramme on Child Welfare and Health

by Academy of Finland by Academy of Finland • The Academy is preparing a research

programme focusing on the well-being and health of children

– The focus is on ways of promoting children’s health and well-being as well as on children’s health and welfare problems

– The programme is also concerned to research health and welfare risks, risk management and environments of childhood growth.

• The programme will deal with the following research themes: 1) Changing environments of childhood growth 2) Healthcare systems 3) Challenges to children’s health

• Focus on interdisciplinary research projects and international networking of researchers

Northern childhood – new openings? Northern childhood – new openings?

Children’s Well-being

Everyday life of children

Children’s and youth’s participation

Social services for child families

Early learning and learning environments

?