Mika Niemelä works as a Professor of Practice at the University of Oulu. His work is part of the development and research based on the Collective Impact framework of the Itla Children’s Foundation (Itla).  Niemelä also serve as the Interaction Coordinator in the SchoolWell research consortium funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) (Future School of Comprehensive Well-Being, University of Helsinki).  In addition to his research work, Niemelä have been involved in developing and implementing child- and family-centered methods and training programs for over 20 years. Niemelä has provided training and consultation to organizations and professionals from various fields in family- and network-centered work. Niemelä has also worked as a training psychotherapist in couple and family therapy psychotherapy training programs.

 The high utilization of institutionalized social and healthcare services among children and adolescents has been attributed to fragmented services and a lack of early-phase cross-sectoral collaboration. While high-quality services such as daycare, schools, and social and health services perform well individually, they face difficulties in cases where individuals simultaneously encounter multiple challenges. Efforts have been made to address this issue through legislation and various national development projects. However, the challenge remains unresolved, and the lack of cooperation persists.

The Collective Impact (CI) approach has emerged as a promising way to foster cross-sectoral collaboration. In Finland, this framework is being used to improve collaboration among services, particularly in situations where family life is burdened by adversity.

This presentation focuses on research related to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and resilience as the cornerstone of collaborative services. Furthermore, it outlines a service system built upon the Collective Impact approach. Lastly, it explores how translational research can be employed to address the intricate challenges associated with service collaboration.

The presentation underscores how public services, including daycare, schools, and social and health services, in conjunction with the third sector, can operate while taking into account the challenging life situations of families. They can collaboratively establish a comprehensive service context around the family. Additionally, it describes a structure in which academic research plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration.