Research group
Development of Child and Family Services and Management
We promote the well-being of children, young people and families and support parenting and everyday life. We improve access to child and family services through digital solutions.
We are implementing the obligations of the social and health care reform through digital solutions. We are developing integrative service structures and concepts for social services, health, education and training, as well as future management models.
Our research group focuses on the co-development of child and family services, service integration and coordinating management at the border and joint surfaces of educational services, early childhood education and social and health care organisations. Our special societal task is to protect children by providing the best possible everyday support and needs-based services to vulnerable families.
What we research and develop
- We promote the well-being and inclusion of children, young people and families, good parenting and a smooth everyday life.
- We pay attention to the identification of child abuse and the specific need for child protection.
- We are developing new service structures and concepts that support the integration of child and family services and multidisciplinary, seamless cooperation.
- We improve the availability and accessibility of child and family services by developing innovative digital solutions.
- We focus on practical measures and solutions that can be implemented in practice and have a significant impact on the development of social, health, education and training services.
We work in continuous cooperation with professionals and organisations in the fields of education, early childhood education and social and health care. We create and develop service concepts for the future and contribute to the debate on, for example, new governance models for welfare areas.
Eeva Timonen-Kallio, Principal Lecturer, Research Group Leader
Publications
Thapa A, Lahti T, Maukonen M & Partonen T. Consumption of fruits and vegetables and its association with sleep duration among Finnish adult population: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Front Nutr. 2024 May 16:11:1319821. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1319821. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38818133/
Tran Minh, M., Airaksinen, M., & Lahti, T. (2024). Potilasjärjestöjen lausunnot lääkkeiden hintalautakunnalle ja terveydenhuollon palveluvalikoimaneuvostolle: järjestöjen ja viranomaisten kokemuksia. Sosiaalilääketieteellinen Aikakauslehti, 61(4). https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.128071
Reponen, N. (2024). Kirjoituksia VAASI-hankkeen yhteistyökumppaneilta: Kuka lohduttaisi Nyytiä? VAASI-hankkeen blogi. Turun ammattikorkeakoulu. https://vaasihanke.turkuamk.fi/blogit/kirjoituksia-vaasi-hankkeen-yhteistyokumppaneilta-kuka-lohduttaisi-nyytia/
Reponen N. (2024). Yhteinen päämäärä. Merikratoksen blogi. https://merikratos.fi/blogi-yhteinenpaamaara/
Salakari M., Vaskelainen J., Holmberg J., Kuusisto H. (2023). Jalkautuvalla ja osallistuvalla terveydenedistämistyöllä on vaikutusta nuorten elintapavalintoihin. Pro terveys -lehti, 4–5/2023.
Salakari, M., Lindegren, J., & Vaihekoski, A. (2023). Toisen asteen ammatillisessa koulutuksessa opiskelevien nuorten terveys ja terveyttä uhkaavat tekijät: systemaattinen kirjallisuuskatsaus. Sosiaalilääketieteellinen Aikakauslehti, 60(1). https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.98601
Timonen-Kallio, E. (2023) Residential Care for Children and Youth in Finland. In Whittaker, J., Holmes, L., Valle, J.C.F. and James, S. 2023. Revitalizing Residential Care for Children and Youth. Cross-national trends and challenges. New York: Oxford University Press Academic US.
Turja, M; Halonen, H; Uusitalo I. (2023) Toimiva palveluohjaus hyödyttää asiakasta ja hyvinvointialuetta. Turun Sanomat, Puheenvuoro 6.7.2023. https://www.ts.fi/puheenvuorot/6041366
Timonen-Kallio, E. Pelander, T., Koskela M., Helenius K., Heiskanen K. (2022). Lastenkodeissa on pula osaavasta henkilöstöstä. Talk-verkkolehti, Turun ammattikorkeakoulu, https://talk.turkuamk.fi/hyve/lastenkodeissa-on-pula-osaavasta-henkilostosta/
James, S., Wilczek, L., Kilian, J., Timonen-Kallio, E., Bravo, A., del Valle, J.F., Formenti, L., Petrauskiene, A., Pivoriene, J., & Rigamonti, A. (2021). A comparative analysis of residential care – a 5-country multiple case-design study. Child & Youth Care Forum, TBA, DOI 10.1007/s10566-021-09666-6
Timonen-Kallio, E. (2020). Osallisuuden edistäminen ammatillisena toimintana. Teoksessa P. Myllymäki, E., Timonen-Kallio & S., Kinos (toim.). Osallisuuden edistäminen eri toimintaympäristöissä – asennetta ja menetelmiä. Turun ammattikorkeakoulun julkaisuja.
Timonen-Kallio, E.; Yliruka, L.; Närhi, P. (2017) Lastensuojelun terapeuttisen laitoskasvatuksen mallinnus. https://www.julkari.fi/handle/10024/132319
Degree programmes
The research group aims for social impact
The Development of Child and Family Services and Management research group has a common goal to address the challenges of child and family well-being. Its multidisciplinary research and development projects focus on issues such as early support family centre services, school well-being, child protection services and community-based learning.
Positive identification helps to meet young people on an individual basis
By working from the young person’s own experiences and resources, the young person feels understood through the assets that truly characterise them. What should aftercare professionals bear in mind if they want to ensure the benefits of positive identification in their work with clients? This is what the Good Aftercare project was looking at.
Joint project to develop expertise in demanding foster care
Five Finnish universities and their surrounding wellbeing counties and foster care actors are joining forces in the VAASI project. The project will build digital learning packages that will enable all actors in the child protection sector to renew their skills.
Our Experts
The Development of Child and Family Services and Management research group is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary group of experts, including teachers, researchers, student assistants, research group students, students from higher education and vocational education and training institutions, and partners from the world of work. The mission of the research group is to be a key player in regional, national and international innovation.
A versatile partner
National network:
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
- National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
- Wellbeing county of Southwest Finland (Varha)
- Vasso – Centre of Excellence in Social Work in Southwest Finland
- Future Research and Skills Advisory Board
- Finnish National Board of Education
- Polytechnic and university networks
- Federation of First Aid and Shelters
- Parishes
International network:
- MRU-Romanis Mykolos University
- University of Oviedo’
- University of Kassel
International social and health actors:
- EUSARF – European Scientific Association On Residential And Family Care For Children And Adolescents
- FESET – European Association of Training Centres for Socio-Educational Care Work
- TRC – Therapeutic Residential Care Experts Network
Strong project skills
The Turku University of Applied Sciences Project Office offers support and guidance throughout the life cycle of an RDI project. Our project experts have years of experience and strong expertise in national and international funding programmes. We have more than 200 projects running every year, and our RDI activities have received more than €10 million in external funding.