Family-Based Collaboration and Bachelors of Social Services as Educators (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

Teachers:
Tiina Suni
Noora Ahvenjärvi (responsible teacher)

Teaching on Tuesdays, weeks 12-15
Teaching in English at Salo campus

Thu 17.3.2026, 9:30 - 14:30 (Tiina)
- Course info and study assignments
- Values and ethics of ECEC
- Social pedagogue in ECEC as an educator in multi-professional and cross-sectoral collaboration

Tue 24.3.2026, 9:30 - 14:30 (Noora)
- Family-oriented forms of collaboration and dialogue
- Addressing difficult issues in challenging situations

Tue 31.3.2026, 9:30 - 14:30 (Tiina)
- Guardians from different language and cultural backgrounds as educational partners
- Co-operation with multicultural and diverse families
- Childhood collage presentations

Tue 7.4.2026, 9:30 - 14:30 (Noora)
- Operating culture of ECEC, social pedagogue as a part of the working community
- Reflection on the discussion assignment
- Course reflection and feedback

Changes are possible.

Attendance in contact teaching of the course is mandatory, which is based on the working and learning methods used in the course. The contact teaching includes interactive activities, discussions, peer learning, and workshop activities. Participation in contact teaching supports the development of the student’s professional skills and interaction abilities.

In case of absence due to illness, a compensatory assignment must be completed. The max. amount of absence is 50 % of the contact teaching. If this is exceeded, the completion of the course will be postponed to the next implementation.

Please check the prerequisites of the course. In case this course is not scheduled to your study group, please contact the responsible teacher of the course and provide them with the necessary documents.

Objective

• you understand the importance of educational collaboration with children’s guardians
• you are familiar with the ethical principles and values of early childhood education
• you are familiar with principles of multi-professional collaboration and are able to apply them in your work
• you strengthen your cultural competence

Content

• family-oriented forms of collaboration and dialogue
• addressing difficult issues in challenging situations
• multi-professional and multi-sectoral collaboration
• the professional identity of a Bachelor of Social Services in early childhood education
• values and ethics in tutoring practices and the day care operating culture
• guardians from different language and cultural backgrounds as educational partners

Materials

National Core Curriculum for ECEC, Finnish National Agency for Education, 2022

Ojala, M. 2010. Developing multicultural early childhood education in a Finnish context. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy , vol. 4 , no. 1 , pp. 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/2288-6729-4-1-13

Murphy et al. 2021. Partnership with families in early childhood education: Exploratory study. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Volume 46, Issue 1, March 2021, Pages 93-106 https://doi.org/10.1177/1836939120979067

Lastikka, A.-L. 2019. Culturally and linguistically diverse children’s and families’ experiences of participation and inclusion in Finnish early childhood education and care. University of Helsinki. https://helda.helsinki.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/1bf5208a-ca9a-4d59-bef8-badf591a99cb/content

Teaching methods

Individual work, pair work, group work
Literature-based, lecture-based and learning assignment-based work

Student workload

Theoretical essay, pair work 3 ECTS
Learning assignment (discussion with parents) in pairs & contact teaching 1,5 ECTS
Childhood collage, individual work 0,5 ECTS

Evaluation methods and criteria

Theoretical essay, pair work (F-5)
- first submission deadline 12.4.2026
- second submission deadline 19.4.2026

Failed (0)

Student:
- has no understanding on the importance of educational collaboration with children’s guardians
- is not familiar with the ethical principles and values of early childhood education
- is not familiar with principles of multi-professional collaboration
- has no understanding on cultural competences
- has not participated in contact teaching according to the requirements
- has not completed all the learning assignments of the course

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Student:
- has some understanding on the importance of educational collaboration with children’s guardians
- is familiar with the ethical principles and values of early childhood education in basic level
- is familiar with some principles of multi-professional collaboration
- has some understanding on cultural competence

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Student:
- has understanding on the importance of educational collaboration with children’s guardians
- is familiar with the ethical principles and values of early childhood education
- is familiar with principles of multi-professional collaboration and is able to apply them in practice
- has some understanding on cultural competences

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student:
- has deep understanding on the importance of educational collaboration with children’s guardians and is able to implement this in practice
- is closely familiar with the ethical principles and values of early childhood education and is able to reflect and evaluate his own activities on this perspective
- is closely familiar with principles of multi-professional collaboration and is able to apply them in practice
- has deep understanding on cultural competences and multicultural pedagogic environments

Qualifications

Students can start optional customer group-specific studies when they have completed at least 60 credits.

The modules in early childhood education must be completed in order: first the basic studies (Module 1) and then the advanced studies (Module 2). Exceptions can be made if it is justified from the perspective of the student’s personal study plan (HOPS) and the student has at least one year of work experience in early childhood education tasks in Finland or previous higher education studies in early childhood education that have been accredited in their studies at Turku University of Applied Sciences.