MONIKU: A Preventive Approach to Language Difficulties in Children
MONIKU is a service dedicated to aiding the development of a child’s native language, while also nurturing the bond between the child and parents and fostering the family's cultural heritage.
Family Centre Series: Part 5
Targeted at expectant parents and families with infants (aged 0–1), MONIKU is designed for situations where at least one parent speaks a language other than Finnish or Swedish.
- “Encouraging parents to speak their native language to their children is a key preventative strategy against language development issues, learning difficulties, and the risk of social exclusion,” explains Jarmo Lehtonen-Aleksejev, Senior Social Counsellor in Family Social Work Services.
Parents can be referred to MONIKU through a maternity and child health clinic nurse. Sessions can be arranged as in-person meetings at clinics, phone calls, or Teams meetings. The number of sessions can vary based on need.
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The MONIKU team consists of instructors who also have multilingual backgrounds.
- “This common ground fosters trust and understanding between our staff and the families we serve. An instructor's personal experience enables a deeper insight into the types of services and support that will most benefit our clients,” Jarmo Lehtonen-Aleksejev explains.
The service is provided until the family achieves their set goals or when the child turns one year old.
Parents have overwhelmingly praised the program, noting a significant increase in the value and importance they place on speaking and teaching their native language to their young children since participating in MONIKU.
MONIKU is a part of Family Social Work and provided free of charge to our clients.
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- Family centre