Browsing by Subject "maahanmuuttajaperhe"

The amount of immigrants has steadily been growing in Finland. In recent years the growth rate has only been increasing. As immigration increases, services and actions to promote acculturation are increasingly required. Acculturation is a two way street and requires equal commitment from society and the newcomer himself. In a new culture people are often forced to question formerly learned skills and knowledge as well as rules of society and family life. Immigrant families may also experience confusion with the stress that changing roles and role conflicts may bring. Lack of close relatives and social networks can cause loneliness, anxiety and grief. The need for peer support grows as the feeling of insecurity increases. In this thesis I analyze previous research to examine the challenges that immigrant families face during the acculturation process after relocating to Finland. I also want to identify ways that immigrant families are given support during acculturation. The perspective of the research is from different levels of operation in society: legal, municipal and the third sector. I have chosen to examine some projects that aim to support parenthood and participation. The thesis has been implemented as a literary review. The aim of a literary review is to give a general view of the examined phenomenon, to evaluate the theory and to identify areas for improvement. The basic services that are available to families are meant for permanent residents of the municipality. However, understanding the finnish welfare system can prove to be a difficulty for immigrant families which can cause them to be unaware of the services they are entitled to. For successful acculturation it is important to educate immigrants about finnish society and its services. In that way, parental participation and capabilities are strengthened, which in turn progresses the acculturation process. An increased amount of attention should be paid to informing immigrants and on the other hand, skills to support a multicultural clientele should be strengthened amongst public authorities. In multicultural work, strengthening coping skills for everyday life is essential for increasing overall well-being. The need for translation is good to consider to ensure successful communication and to avoid insufficient comprehension. A client-based approach and coordination and collaboration between organisations would be beneficial in developing the quality and efficiency of acculturation procedures. Sufficient resources should be allocated to ensure this is possible.