In an increasingly multilingual and multicultural society, new demands are placed on how cooperation between home and school is organised. Research clearly shows that a strong partnership between parents and schools is crucial for children’s learning, development, and wellbeing. At the same time, creating equitable and meaningful forms of cooperation with families who have multilingual or immigrant backgrounds presents specific challenges.

At the end of 2024, Förbundet Hem och Skola i Finland rf and Suomen Vanhempainliitto ry were commissioned by the ministry of education and culture to identify good practices for parent–school cooperation in an increasingly multicultural and multilingual school environment. This work is now complete, and the results will be presented in this webinar together with the Ministry.

The webinar brings together experts, school staff, and experience-based speakers to shed light on how schools and families can strengthen cooperation in today’s diverse educational landscape. The programme includes a presentation of the project “Home–School Cooperation in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context” as well as concrete experiences from families and schools across Finland. Participants will also hear international perspectives through an introduction to the Swedish project Bygga Broar. The webinar concludes with a joint discussion and Q&A.

The webinar will be held mainly in Finnish, with some parts presented in English and Swedish. We will follow the principles of a safe space at the event.