Helsinki City Council has approved the right of asylum seekers children to early childhood education. The unanimous decision was made on Wednesday, the last day of the council season. The awesome initiative was championed by councilman Dan Koivulaakso and supported by 19 delegates who signed the motion.
Basically up until now there has been early childhood education only upon recommendation of a social worker during application period or when waiting for decision and filing complaints.
The initiative has received the opinions of the Board of Education and Training and the Board of Social Affairs and Health. The answer is in line with the statements.
The initiative is justified, inter alia, by the fact that, due to lengthy asylum processes, children may be left without early childhood education for up to several years. In addition, the children of asylum seekers are already entitled to participate in basic education.
In Finland, according to the current operating model, the social worker, together with the client family, child welfare and reception center, makes an assessment of the child’s and family’s support needs. Based on the assessment, an early childhood education place can be granted to a child of an asylum seeker or a paperless family. Asylum-seeking children are always included in early childhood education if the child has a child welfare clientele and the child welfare social worker considers the kindergarten necessary for the child’s growth and development and to support the parents’ coping. It has also been possible to apply for early childhood education on the recommendation of another authority responsible for the child’s care. If it has been estimated that a child or parents in need of special support will benefit from early childhood education, this has been arranged.
Dan Koivulaakso works as a special assistant to the Minister of Education. He is the secretary of the Ministerial Group of the Left Alliance.
