The Voimaperheet parental guidance program has been well received

14.6.2023 13.54Updated:28.8.2023 7.49

The Voimaperheet parental guidance program for families with 3- and 4-year-old children has been well received in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. During the beginning of the year, 49 % of the families with children returned the questionnaire. The news was published prevously on 14 June 2023.

The University of Turku Research Centre for Child Psychiatry will send a questionnaire form to families in Western Uusimaa during the month preceding the child's fourth birthday.

Updated 28 August 2023: Despite the reduced opening hours at child and maternity health clinics, 584 Voimaperheet questionnaires were returned during the summer. Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 1,892 questionnaire forms have been sent to families in Western Uusimaa; and 934 forms have been returned during the four-year health check-ups. This adds up to a response rate of 49%. Out of the returned forms, 13% qualified for participation in the Voimaperheet program

The questionnaire is sent to all families whose child’s mother tongue is registered as either Finnish or Swedish in the population register. We heartily encourage families to fill out and return the questionnaire form.

Starting from the beginning of 2023, the Voimaperheet (“Empowered Families”) intervention model developed by the University of Turku Research Centre for Child Psychiatry has been implemented in the maternity and child health clinics of Western Uusimaa. The model aims to identify behavioural problems in young children even before they reach school age. The model is the result of years of research and development, and it is based on digital preventive care.

The questionnaire evaluates the need for psychosocial support within the family

The Voimaperheet-questionnaire will assess the family’s possible need for psychosocial support. The family will fill out the form at home and bring it to the child’s four-year check-up at the maternity and child health clinic. If the criteria for participation are met and the family considers the child to have behavioural problems that affect their daily life, the family will be offered the opportunity to participate in the Voimaperheet program. Participation takes place either online or via phone calls, making it possible to participate from home, for instance.

A new form can be obtained at the maternity and child health clinic if it is forgotten or lost before the four-year check-up.