TY - JOUR AU - Lastikka, Anna-Leena AU - Lipponen, Lasse PY - 2016/10/28 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Immigrant Parents’ Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Care Practices in the Finnish Multicultural Context JF - International Journal of Multicultural Education JA - IJME VL - 18 IS - 3 SE - Articles (Peer-reviewed) DO - 10.18251/ijme.v18i3.1221 UR - https://ijme-journal.org/index.php/ijme/article/view/1221 SP - 75-94 AB - Although the number of immigrant families is increasing in Finland, the research on their perspectives on early childhood and care (ECEC) services is scarce. The objective of this small-scale case study was to increase the understanding of immigrant families’ perspectives on ECEC practices. Through the qualitative content analysis of interview-based data, four themes emerged as particularly important for working with immigrant families: (a) fostering dialogue and mutual understanding; (b) promoting cultural and linguistic diversity; (c) encouraging cooperative partnership; and (d) providing support and individualized attention. This study contributes to the development of more inclusive and supportive ECEC practices in order to better support families with immigrant backgrounds. ER -