ICDP Finland is looking back at yet another active year. There have been a number of trainings around the country. We have seen 53 persons receive the ICDP Basic training and 27 new facilitators have graduated during 2023.
There have also been ICDP groups for parents and professional caregivers in a number of settings around the country: in day care, child protection, The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters (ETKL) and with newly arrived immigrants.
One of the highlights of the work by ICDP in Finland in the year 2023, was the National Child Protection conference, which took place in Turku, in October. At this conference, the ETKL and Ostrobotnia welfare area made a presentation together on the topic of ”Psychological Violence and Supportive Interaction/ICDP”. The audience was comprised of approximately 100 people, who expressed a lot of interest in ICDP.
Our biggest challenge in expanding our ICDP work is the lack of studies showing scientific evidence for ICDP in Finland. A few Master’s Theses are being published but in order to qualify for state funding, it seems increasingly more important to have peer reviweved journal publications on the effect of the program.
ICDP is currently being reviewed by the board of Itla, a national organisation with a web portal classifying programs and methods supporting parenting and children’s growth and education. ICDP will receive Itla:s evidence and implementation rating in the spring of 2024.
For 2024, ICDP Finland plans to organize an inspirational day for all trainers in the autumn. We will meet and share golden moments and new ideas from ICDP trainings, present the new training literature and discuss current issues of interest. Currently there are 26 trainers in Finland and we hope that many will be able to join the event! Our plan is also to continue the membership virtual coffees that are held once a month, to improve our web page and to produce an updated flyer about ICDP in Finland.
Update by Petra Zilliacus
Website: https://icdp.fi/sv/hem/