Promoting an effective experience of participation

28.11.2022 6.52

What do the services for children and young people with disabilities currently look like, in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, from the service users’ perspective? What should they look like in the future and what kind of effects should they have?

These matters were discussed in the autumn’s four workshops, together with service users, professionals, representatives of disability councils and organisations, as well as THL experts. The workshops were implemented in cooperation between the Frequent Attenders project of Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County and the Nordic Healthcare Group (NHG). "The project has successfully highlighted the fragmentation of services experienced by families with children. The services may seem clear from a professional’s perspective, but the client's participation in matters concerning them may be incomplete,” says Timo Hokkanen, Director of Services for the Disabled in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. 

Clarification of the current situation 

We started our work with a survey, conducted during the summer, where we asked for the thoughts and experiences of service users on well-functioning matters, possible challenges or problems, as well as future wishes regarding services. The results of the survey provided us with sufficient material for the first workshop, where we discussed the current state of the services from the client’s perspective. The current situation varies significantly: Many services work well, cooperation with professionals is smooth, there is good support for school attendance, and morning and afternoon care functions well.  

However, the fragmentation of the service entity and difficulties in the flow of information were brought up as challenges. In particular, the role of guardians and families as coordinators in the service jungle was strongly highlighted: "There must be a change in coordination. The disability is not what exhausts us, but the bureaucracy of services.“ Transition phases, such as from daycare to school, from primary school to upper secondary school, and from children and young people's services to adults’ services, were perceived as phases, where special attention should be paid.   

Future vision 

Next, we will reflect on the future: What is the goal, what are we aiming for in the implementation of services for children and young people with disabilities? "In the development of services, putting oneself in the client's position helps professionals to switch from profession-centred to a comprehensive perspective. This way, a person will be encountered as a whole and the help will also be focused on what it is needed for,” sums up Mari Ahlström, Service Area Director for children, youth, and families at the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County.  

Easy and multi-channel access to services, smoother flow of information, speaking the language of the service user, individual and flexible planning and implementation of services, transfer of responsibility for coordination to the wellbeing services county, and jointly agreed division of tasks between different actors, as well as the child, young person and family were highlighted: "I hope we can finally get these matters sorted out."   

The workshop series enabled us to clarify the future vision of services for children and young people with disabilities. We depicted a target path, from the perspective of children and young people of different ages: Equal opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to grow, develop, learn, and feel good with sufficient, needs-based services. We discussed how the transition, from a daycare centre to primary school, upper secondary school, upper secondary education, and services for adults, could be smoother. The suggested methods included transfer meetings, considering the expansion of the life circle as a disabled child and young person becomes independent, sufficient support for parents and families to learn new things and support the young person's independence, regular meetings in the child's and young person's living environment, considering accessibility, supporting participation. Other highlighted aspects were the compilation of information packages and creation of digital service paths, as well as the need for work guidance for professionals. "We should be able to live the life we are meant to live.” 

What is next? 

The work in the wellbeing services county will continue as part of the Frequent Attenders project. In addition, these important outputs serve as input for the service strategy work of the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. "For me personally, the final report of the workshops reinforced the perception that we must strive for the participation of the service users also in the planning of the services," says Hokkanen. 

More information:  

Satu Meriläinen-Porras, project manager for the Frequent Attenders project, preparation of the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, satu.merilainen-porras@luvn.fi