Services for families with infants – support for an important stage in life

Customers seek out the services for many reasons: they may be experiencing uncertainty about becoming a parent, single parenthood, a difficult pregnancy, or the baby's special needs. Sometimes, mental health challenges or traumatic experiences are involved.

Helen Sulkamo and Elina Koskenpää work as psychologists for families with infants in our wellbeing services county. Both of them are experienced professionals in working with families with infants who cooperate closely with both the families and other services. Supporting parenthood and early interaction is at the heart of their work. They find their work to be very meaningful and hope that increasingly more people in need of services will receive information about the services for families with infants.  

"The aim of the work is to allow for a safe attachment for the baby: we support the parent and help them build a safe relationship with their baby," says Sulkamo.

"The work with families with infants involves being by the parent's side and bringing an understanding to the relationship between the baby and the parent. Every encounter is an opportunity to strengthen the family's wellbeing and create conditions for a safe start in life," Koskenpää describes.

The work done with families with infants is practical, flexible and customer-oriented. The work is carried out at the clinic, at home, or remotely, based on the needs of the family. Each family is different, and the services are always tailored to the family’s needs.

Pregnancy and the baby's first year are special transitional stages in life. During this time, you form images of your own parenthood and may also process your painful memories. The service for families with infants provides space for these emotions and supports the parent in finding their own way of parenting.

"In a certain way, this often requires that the parent is motivated and willing to start exploring their own mind and that of the baby – that they have the will and ability to face these things, and their situation in life allows for that," Sulkamo points out.

The work may include:

• Therapeutic discussions: Processing the parent's feelings, concerns and resources confidentially with a professional.
• Interaction and handling the baby: For example, observing the baby's care, interactive play, and support for the parent in finding calming ways of interacting with the baby – sometimes also through videos or structured exercises.
• Attention to the whole family: The other parent and the baby's siblings often participate in the work, as well, depending on the situation.
• "You get to be creative in this work – sometimes, we spend time with the baby and the parent through care and play, and at other times, we stop to focus more on the parent's mind. The most important thing is that the parent feels supported and seen in a safe relationship," says Koskenpää.

The service period continues for a maximum of 20 visits or until the baby reaches the age of one year. The service may also last for a shorter time, depending on the family’s needs. The aim is for the family to receive support for interaction and parenthood when it is most needed.

The workers have the unique opportunity to support families in one of the most sensitive stages of life. Both Sulkamo and Koskenpää feel that their work is unique and meaningful.

"It is wonderful to see how a family finds the joy of spending time with the baby and the parents gain confidence in their role," Sulkamo describes.

The work focuses on strengthening the connection between the parent and the baby. According to Koskenpää, this can be crucial for the child's development and the wellbeing of the whole family:

"It’s extremely rewarding to see how parents' understanding of themselves and their baby increases and their stress level decreases."

The employees who work with families with infants cooperate closely with other services. Families usually come in through the maternity and child health clinic, and there is indeed close cooperation with the clinics:

"The maternity and child health clinics are our key partners who help the right customers find our services," says Sulkamo.

Families can also apply for the service independently through the guidance and counselling services for families with children. On contact, professionals will map the family’s situation and direct them to a suitable service.

When the service for families with infants ends, the family can be directed to receive further support, such as early interaction psychotherapy or the family counselling clinic.

"We are able to refer the family to further support services if they need it. It is essential that the families are not left alone," Koskenpää states.

Read more about services for families with infants

Read more about everyday support services for families with children