change

THE fEdEraTion of moTHEr and cHild

HomEs and sHElTErs

The federation helps families to

The federation helps families to change.

Every child has the right to have a good and safe start in life.

A fresh start

Riitta Särkelä

Secretary General at the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters

3

On a global scale, Finland is considered to be a country with little poverty and

low economic inequality. Poverty and economic inequality are, however, growing

faster here than in other European countries. The level of inequality is increasing in

Finland, and as a result, regions and individuals become increasingly detached from

each other. This development makes children, young people, and families with chil-

dren particularly vulnerable.

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters is the voice and

advocate of children and families in difficult circumstances in our society. We

stand by families and are not afraid to tackle problems. In the days when single

mothers needed support and shelter, a way out from disgrace, we founded

homes for them. When domestic violence came out from homes and turned

from a private problem into a social one, we created networks to help

both victims and offenders. We do not merely talk about problems, we

take action to change the lives of our customers as well as the society.

The current social development challenges us to build a more

equal society, where a sense of community is enhanced and the

weakest members are looked after. A total of 30 member associa-

tions across Finland provide professional help and voluntary support

for families in need. The associations offer opportunities for people to

be empowered by experiences of inclusion and equality.

Every child has the right to be safe and have a good life. Help offered at the

right time prevents social exclusion and provides an opportunity for a fresh start.

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The Federation as an opinion leader

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters is a non-profit

organisation whose premise and objective is the welfare of the child. We are

involved in various lobbying activities to ensure that families with children

have a voice in society and that their distress is recognised in social debate.

are heard in the decision-making

process.

We develop new methods to help

families that are struggling with

increasingly complex problems. The

fruit of the work we have carried out

in our homes since the 1940s is now

evident in the new kind of mother-child

activities we offer in institutions such

as prisons and reception centres.

In a society where children live in

poverty and there is a lack of care, the

Federation of Mother and Child Homes

and Shelters works for the benefit of

children. Our aim is also to ensure that

the spiral of social exclusion does not

prevent any child from growing up into

a good life and being allowed to express

their own characteristics.

We are experts in the daily lives

of families and changes taking place

there. Our expertise is based on our

close collaboration with our member

associations that support families.

We collect and publish information

about circumstances of families in

need, and we lobby the government

and local councils to consider

families in decision-making. We take

responsibility in ensuring that families

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Children´s daily life is a good indicator of

how our society is doing.

The Federation carries the flag and is a voice for families with problems.

We help mothers and fathers to find

their strengths as parents.

When parents feel that they have been seen and heard, they can share the experience with their children.

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Our associations help people

The services our member associations

offer are based on people’s real needs.

Even if families contact our services

because of a particular problem –

substance abuse or violence in the

family, or when daily life is a struggle

– our activities are a window that

displays views of the situation of the

baby, teenager, mother, father and the

entire network.

Through our services we support

families in managing their daily lives

and we strengthen the parent-child

interaction. We help mothers and

fathers to find their particular strengths

as parents amidst the trouble.

Our holistic approach ensures that

families feel safe and protected. Our

services allow time for rehabilitation,

and the objectives are always decided

on in collaboration with our customers.

Our associations rely on and reinforce

people’s own resources.

The holistic approach also reflects

our equal respect for other services.

We help our customers to find other

necessary services in the network of

welfare services.

Our member associations adhere

to the agreed quality criteria, and

the implementation is assessed by

workers, customers and partners in

collaboration.

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters’ member

associations across Finland provide families with support in various

stressful situations. One family benefits from baby sleep training,

another one from putting a stop to domestic violence.

Annika (24) and her baby girl moved to the Oulunkylä home

from the maternity hospital. Annika, a former drug addict, had been

clean but relapsed again towards the end of her pregnancy. She had

been very close to her father, who was seriously ill. He died when

Annika was six months pregnant.

“I was offered a place in the home and I could start substitution

treatment. I was given all possible support, the rest was up to me.”

The community in the home, personal carers and other mothers all

offered their support.

“Some said that I’m a natural mother and that they could actually

learn from me.”

Positive feedback felt good. When she was younger, Annika lived

with a violent man and began to think that she could do nothing right.

The baby’s father took an active role in the rehabilitation and after a

few months he could move into the community.

Now the family live in their own home, and Annika and the baby

attend the home’s peer group for current and previous residents. The

group is important as families of many of the mothers live far away,

and all connections to old drug-addict friends had to be severed.

“I have a lot of questions that I like to discuss with people who have

gone through rehabilitation a couple of years ago.

I would say to anyone thinking about coming to a home that if you

ask for help, it will be good.”

The home helped me as a woman and a mother.

at the homeA new start

9

The support and care offered

by volunteers at the member

associations of the Federation of

Mother and Child Homes and

Shelters complement professional

services. Our strength lies in the

collaboration between professional

workers and volunteers.

Voluntary activities offer a

meaningful way to help children

and families in their daily lives.

The Federation and its member

associations provide volunteers with

training and support.

Those who have suffered hard

times and survived have a lot to

offer to those struggling with

difficult situations. Those who have

firsthand experience also play an

important role when the Federation

lobbies decision-makers in order to

defend families with problems and

guarantee that they receive the help

they need.

There are many ways to be active

in our associations, and these

vary from one area to another. A

voluntary worker can be a support

person, handyman, leader of a

hobby or peer group, or seller at a

charity event. What is important is

the willingness to help and make

a connection to another person

without prejudice.

It is always lovely to meet the workers at charity events even now after I have managed to get back on my feet. I’m happy if I can now help other families by giving them a little time.

Have a say as a citizen

Case 2

I saw an ad in the paper saying that they were looking for people.

When Leif Wilenius (65) retired, he moved from Helsinki

to Rovaniemi. He also attended a training course for volunteers

at the Lapland Association of Mother and Child Homes and

Shelters.

The safety manager’s duties were replaced by offering people

support on phone and at the shelter. The most important job

has been taking two school-aged brothers out for the day when

the family stayed in the shelter for quite a considerable time.

“First we went to the library, then the cinema and the

science centre. There also happened to be an exhibition of

vintage cars.”

The exhibition prompted Leif Wilenius and the boys to

discuss what the world is like now compared to when Wilenius

was 9 years of age.

“We did not have a television or other gadgets. The boys

found this really hard to believe.”

Wilenius thinks that it is very important that children are

offered support. They have their lives ahead of them. When

even those with a great start in life can face various problems

later, every child should be guaranteed the best possible

circumstances in childhood.

“It is extremely rewarding to realise that I can help where

needed.”

At the end of the day, we are not talking about big things.

“Being there, talking and listening, that’s all it takes.”

Wilenius

and the boys

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Child welfare organisation that cares

Mother and child homes specialing

in substance abuse treatment are

for pregnant women and families with

babies, and they combine child welfare

services with drug rehabilitation

programmes. These homes and related

community care units offer support to

250 families with a new-born baby or

expecting a baby every year.

The shelters offer 24/7 advice and

support to victims of domestic violence.

The shelters are short-term refuges in

situations where staying at home would

be impossible or dangerous because

of violence, threat or fear. The shelters

help more than 1,000 families every

year, and community care services offer

support to nearly 300 children and

over 1,500 adults.

The safety of the victim and children is

the most important aspect concerning

the efforts to reduce domestic violence.

Those engaged in violent behaviour are

also offered help.

Other professional community

care services include the Baby blues

and day group activities for families

with babies, and Alvari family

welfare services that help stressed

families to cope in their daily lives.

In the services we offer to parents

undergoing divorce, we emphasise the

fact that a parent continues being a

parent even after divorce.

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters is a nationwide child welfare

organisation that helps children and families in difficult and insecure situations and prevents

domestic violence. The Federation is the central organisation for its 30 member associations.

The member associations across Finland maintain 10 mother and child homes, six homes

focusing on treatment of drug and alcohol-related problems and 12 shelters. Some of the

associations focus on community care services. More than 10,000 people, approximately

4,000 of whom are children, use the associations’ services every year.

The mother and child homes are

for families with babies that require

individual and strong support in

managing their everyday lives and

the interaction between the baby and

parents and in caring for their baby.

The problems families may have

include mental problems or substance

abuse. Parents may be very young or

live in a culture that is new to them.

The mother and child homes aim to

enhance the relationship between the

baby and parents and support parents

in the process of becoming parents.

Over 200 families take their first steps

as a family in our homes. The support

continues through our community care

services.Online help: www.turvakoti.net

A fresh start.

The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters // Asemamiehenkatu 4 A // 00520 Helsinki

Member associations of the Federation of

Mother and Child Homes and Shelters

Etelä-Karjalan perhetyön kehittämisyhdistys ry

Etelä-Pohjanmaan Ensi- ja turvakotiyhdistys ry

Helsingin ensikoti ry

Kaapatut Lapset ry

Kanta-Hämeen perhetyö ry

Keski-Suomen ensi- ja turvakoti ry

Kokkolan ensi- ja turvakoti ry

Kuopion Ensikotiyhdistys ry

Kvinnohusföreningen i Jakobstadsnejden rf

Kymenlaakson Ensi- ja turvakotiyhdistys ry

Lahden ensi- ja turvakoti ry

Lapin ensi- ja turvakoti ry

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Lyömätön Linja Espoossa ry

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Vaasan ensi- ja turvakoti – Vasa mödra- och skyddshem ry

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