Webinar 'The Finnish Family Centre Model'

Wat is het?

Georganiseerd door het Kenniscentrum Gezinswetenschappen en COFACE Families Europe in het kader van het European Observatory on Family Policies.

Als een soort “teaser” in aanloop naar de publicatie van de komende Insights on Family Policy-bijdrage van het Observatory in november 2026, zal het webinar ingaan op belangrijke vragen rond de werking van het Finse model van gezinscentra. Daarbij komen onder meer de sectoroverschrijdende structuur aan bod, governance op meerdere bestuursniveaus en de implementatie, en meer specifiek hoe het model wordt aangepast aan verschillende regionale contexten.

Het webinar zal volledig in het Engels verlopen.

Wat zal je leren?

Learning objectives

The event’s objectives are threefold: 

• first, to disseminate the core structural features of the Finnish Family Centre model; 
• second, to compare how decentralized governance impacts service delivery across various regional administrative units, known as Welfare Counties, and how that can be reconciled with national minimum thresholds; 
• and finally, to bridge the gap between policy and practice by connecting international participants directly with local family centre directors.

Het programma

Hanne Kalmari is Development Manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), where she coordinates and develops national services for children, youth, and families, specializing in early intervention policies, youth mental health prevention frameworks, and the national implementation of the Finnish Family Center (Perhekeskus) model.

Sonja Hartikainen serves as Service Manager / Head of Family Services at the North Karelia Wellbeing Services County (Siun sote / Pohjois-Karjalan hyvinvointialue), overseeing the operational management and strategic coordination of social and family support services across the North Karelia region.

Terhi Vierikko is Director of Family Center Services at the Southwest Finland Well-being Services County (Varha / Varsinais-Suomen hyvinvointialue), drawing on her background in social and health services administration to lead the governance of Perhekeskus multi-agency hubs across the Turku region and focus on service integration between regional well-being authorities, municipalities, and third-sector organizations.

Pia Pelkonen is a Senior Social Worker and Supervisor at the Southwest Finland Wellbeing Services County, where she manages family counseling services and oversees digital family support initiatives, including the Digital Family Center. 

Over de organisator

Het Kenniscentrum Gezinswetenschappen doet praktijkgericht onderzoek vanuit het perspectief van gezinnen, met als doel het versterken van hun functioneren en welbevinden.