THE PRACTICE
The project by SOS Children’s Villages Finland
was launched in 2015 with the aim of provid-
ing accommodation, care and protection for
unaccompanied and separated children, mostly
adolescents, who at the time were arriving in
Finland in increasing numbers.
As the number of new arrivals in 2016 and 2017
decreased, the project adjusted its priorities to
focus on integrating them into Finnish society.
It works to help children to acquire the social
skills and knowledge they need to meet the
demands of school, to secure jobs, to adapt to
the local culture and to become part of their
communities. Children receive, among other
services, emotional and psychosocial support
and trauma therapy.
[What worries me more] are things about the past… and
also the future. How life and school will be in the future.
… I would imagine that in five years I will speak Finnish, I
will be studying, and I will have a part-time job. This is at
least what I imagine and hope for.
17-year-old unaccompanied boy from Afghanistan
The children participating in the project have
temporary residence permits for a period of one
to four years and are accommodated in two fam-
ily-like homes run by SOS Children’s Villages
Finland. At the moment, there are 34 boys from
Afghanistan in the project, but this number is
expected to rise to 45 by the end of 2017.
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The project is implemented in close coopera-
tion with responsible authorities and makes
use of community resources. State authorities
provide basic services, such as education and
health care, and cover accommodation, care
and food costs as well as children’s allowances,
whilst the project provides complementary
services, such as psychosocial support, family
support, fixed-term employment opportunities
and leisure and free-time activities.
To accelerate integration into the local com-
munity, the project builds the language skills
of the children, facilitates access to the formal
education system and helps children to join
local sports clubs and associations. Emphasis is
placed on life skills training, preparation for in-
dependent living, vocational training and trau-
ma therapy. The children are also encouraged to
develop hobbies, interact with local volunteer
families, gain summer jobs and internships and
meet peers from the local community.
Each child has an individual development and
care plan that is developed and agreed upon
with his personal instructor, following a needs
assessment. This individual plan is reviewed
twice a year to reflect changes in the child’s life,
including changes in his or her family and legal
status.
The children participate in regular group home
meetings to discuss and contribute to the design
and improvement of various activities and are
included in all decision-making processes that
affect their lives.