About Leijonaemot

Leijonaemot (Lionparents) is a nationwide peer support network for parents of children with special needs in Finland.

You are warmly welcome to join our community whether you are only beginning to wonder if your child may have special needs or already have a diagnosis. Your child can be of any age, special parenting deserves support throughout the entire journey.

Together, we support one another, share information and experiences, advocate for our children and each other, and, above all, celebrate being proud parents.

Our activities are funded by STEA, the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations in Finland. Our members also make our work possible through membership fees and their ongoing support.

Our Values

Everything we do is guided by three core values:

• Respectful encounters
• Confidentiality
• A strengths-based approach

Every year, our trained volunteer peer supporters provide support to a large number of parents of children with special needs.

Leijonaemot was founded in 2005 by parents who recognized the need for peer support that reaches across diagnostic boundaries. Today, we are the only nationwide organization in Finland dedicated specifically to supporting parents of children with special needs.

We believe that supporting parents means supporting the whole family. Parents often carry a heavy load: appointments, paperwork, therapies, advocacy, daily care, and countless responsibilities that require extraordinary strength and resilience. Alongside the joys and victories of family life, there can also be worry, stress, uncertainty, and grief.

Often, only another parent with similar experiences truly understands.

Peer Support in English

We offer peer support in English through several channels:

• Facebook peer support group: You can also star conversations in English in our Facebook group Leijonaemot – Vertaistukea erityislasten vanhemmille
• Local peer support groups and events: Read more by clicking here.
• Leijonaluuri support line: Need someone to talk to? Leijonaluuri offers peer support in English too. Leave a contact request here.
• The Toivo app
• Parents’ Coffee Hour, our new online peer support group. Read more and join here.

Join us to share your everyday experiences, joys, challenges, and concerns with people who understand.

Our Advocacy Work

In addition to peer support, we work to promote the wellbeing of families with special-needs children by:

• Advocating for the rights and wellbeing of families
• Strengthening cooperation between parents and professionals in healthcare, social services, and education
• Providing information and resources for families
• Raising awareness about the realities faced by families of children with special needs
  

We Want Your Voice to Be Heard

The experiences of parents matter. By sharing your perspective, you help improve understanding, services, and support for families like yours.

Together, we can make a difference.