Natasha Petrell

Early childhood education strives to promote the integration of immigrant children. Learning Finnish or Swedish is fundamental in their integration. An early intervention in their language problems alleviates the development of later difficulties. When children go to school, the significance of knowing one´s own language and that of the main culture is emphasised, at the latest.

The issue of how immigrant children are taken into consideration in the context of early childhood education has been pondered nationwide in Finland since the 1990s. Municipal authorities have been provided with recommendations on organising the teaching of children´s native language, in addition to personnel training.

As early as 1988, the National Board of Social Welfare published Cultural Encounters in the day care - A report by the day care team of refugee children. The next report came out in 1990. A seminar essay titled How children from other cultures adjust to the day care centre was presented at the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Helsinki in 1983, Leena-Maija Qvist, the senior adviser of the Ministry of Labour, recalls and goes on to say:

- In 1993 a report called the Encountering of refugee families and day care came out in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Publication Series and the Children of Islam in the Finnish day care was published the following year. The explanation memo of the Act on Integration of 1999 emphasised the importance of learning one´s native language, besides Finnish or Swedish.

Great differences in the implementation

In the 21st century the municipalities have focused on the practical development of early childhood education. However, the teaching of Finnish or Swedish as a second language varies in the country and some children fail to be instructed. In terms of tuition, the starting age seems to vary as does the way that the instruction is realised in practice. Because of their inadequate language skills, children may be isolated in their own groups at school, which hinders their skills from improving in a desirable manner.

– A child´s own language ought to be supported in every possible way. The same applies to learning Finnish or Swedish. The problem is that, regionally, one´s access to preparatory teaching is very uneven. Municipalities should consolidate their provision of preparatory teaching, says Maria Kaisa Aula, Ombudsman for Children. She finds the principle of maintaining immigrant children´s bilingual skills very important.

Anna Mikkonen, the information specialist of the Central Union of Child Welfare in Finland, is thinking along the same lines.

– The legislation related to teaching is appropriate, but there are differences, as far as the implementation is concerned. It´s quite understandable that many small regions have so few speakers of some unusual languages, which makes it difficult to reach a full group size and find a teacher. The required group size ought to be more flexible than at present. One or two lessons of one´s native language or Finnish as a second language per week are not sufficient to every pupil.

As for immigrant children, their differences should be better taken into consideration because they do differ from each other, with regard to their language, culture, reason for immigration and length of their residence in the country.

Providing early childhood education for three-year-olds

Tarja Kahiluoto, the senior officer of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, works for the Advisory Board on Early Childhood Education and Care. At the end of November the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) group of STAKES made some proposals to the Advisory Board.

- In the Metropolitan area, people speak approximately 80 different languages. Our service system can´t support everyone´s mother tongue because qualified teachers aren´t likely to be found for each language.

The parents have to be made to realise the significance of maintaining their own language. In addition, we should consider together how to encourage children to learn their vernacular and Finnish or Swedish.

There are cases in which parents only pay attention to learning Finnish or Swedish and fail to grasp the importance of their own language. However, for a child to genuinely acquire a foreign language, his or her mother tongue has to be strong.

– We also have to find out if children´s native language could somehow be maintained in the day care if there happens to be staff speaking their language or if ethnic organisations could be engaged in this, Kahiluoto continues.

According to the ECEC group, children with an immigrant background would have to be encompassed by early childhood education at the age of three.

– In some cases, the parents feel prejudiced towards the system. That´s why, their child never enters the day care. They have to be made aware of the provision and forms of day care activities and their objectives. This will facilitate the child´s attachment to Finnish society. In other words, he will make more friends and his language skills will increase, Kahiluoto says.

Children´s access to early education varies, though. Some municipalities make efforts to actively increase immigrants´ awareness of the services available, others don´t. The ECEC group intends to suggest that the integration plans determine children´s early education to be free of charge and thus encourage families to benefit from these services.

Further training for personnel

As discovered by the ECEC group, the staff, employed in early childhood education, requires training on how to encounter other cultures and work with them.

– Besides being covered in lectures, the issue ought to be dealt with in working communities who should engage in a debate on values, Tarja Kahiluoto gives her grounds.

In the basic training of early childhood education, multicultural teaching can be optional, but it should be compulsory.

– Children with an immigrant background are regionally concentrated in certain areas, but, overall, multiculturalism is increasing. In their work, more and more educators are likely to encounter children from other cultures. That´s why, this kind of section ought to be included in the basic training, through which the staff could acquire some knowledge of multiculturalism.

STAKES, the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, provides information on early childhood education on its website.

– We would like to develop a special theme on immigration, which would be available to all those engaged in early childhood education.

Families need further information about children´s rights

It´s important to discuss the goals and principles of the Finnish early childhood education, in addition to children´s rights, with the parents of immigrant children.

– Families may follow traditional customs that can be harmful to children, Maria Kaisa Aula reminds.

– For instance, all kinds of physical violence against children is forbidden. The reason why the information hasn´t reached the parents may be due to poor language skills, Anna Mikkonen states. On the other hand, even authorities seem to be a bit ambiguous about boys´ circumcision being illegal.

The Central Union of Children´s Welfare in Finland publishes general brochures about child protection in several languages.

– We have applied for funding to make a brochure about a new act on child protection, which will become effective next year. The brochure, aimed at all children and youngsters and written in plain language, intends to inform about their rights and duties. We would also make a booklet for immigrant families, rendered in about ten different languages.

In the first place, to put children´s rights into practice, we ought to build up confidence between the home and the services, related to social welfare, school and health care.

– A situation may rise when a child´s access to special needs instruction, support for learning difficulties or mental health services, doesn´t always depend on the shortage of services. Instead, it may be due to his parents´ fears, cultural differences or lack of experience. This ought to be taken into consideration, too, Aula reminds.

More language tuition for mothers

How the rights of immigrant children are realised is closely linked with their mothers´ language skills.

– In the developing countries, the education of mothers is a route to improving children´s welfare and, in fact, the same principle applies in Finland, Maria Kaisa Aula says.

Some immigrant mothers may know very little Finnish and even be illiterate.

– It´s essential to find ways for them to learn Finnish and organise their daily life. Children tend to integrate relatively easily and adopt a new language, but mothers who don´t participate in working life, don´t necessarily receive language instruction. More attention should be paid to this, Aula goes on to say.