On behalf of EFCAP Finland, I am proud to announce that the program for the EFCAP conference in November is ready and can be found in www.efcap.fi . The program focuses on most challenging problems in the interface of psychiatry, child welfare and law, such as parental alienation; what can we actually do to stop antisocial development of a minor; ethical issues related to substance use during pregnancy… I am particularly looking forward to hear Hannu Lauerma’s  (https://www.facebook.com/Hannu-Lauerma-162800103778895/, https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannu_Lauerma) share his thoughts on why is there a risk of abusive culture developing in closed institutions.

In the EFCAP board we really thought these are examples of problems that the centers of excellence in child and adolescent health and social welfare services, as planned in the government’s key project “LAPE-hanke” (https://www.thl.fi/fi/tutkimus-ja-asiantuntijatyo/hankkeet-ja-ohjelmat/lapsi-ja-perhepalveluiden-muutosohjelma-lape- ), will have to address.

The EFCAP meeting is coming in November, but there have been, and will be interesting meetings before that, too. Last week our clinic provided a most inspiring educational event on trauma and mental health, and this week I gave a lecture in a seminar discussing sexually abusive adolescents in the National Institute of Health and Welfare (https://www.thl.fi/sv/ajankohtaista/tapahtumat/tapahtumakalenteri/-/event/3236932 ). In August I shall discuss school shootings in the Nordic Symposium on Forensic Psychiatry (http://nordicforensic.eu/ ). I find preparing lectures really useful for my own professional development, and of course I hope my lectures will be helpful for others, too… I am perhaps a little obsessive about being updated, and thus preparing lectures mean for me inspiring sessions in Medline, looking for any more new information on the topic in question. However, the problem is that there is so much interesting information that one can never have enough time to study all the fascinating details…

It has really been a cold spring in Finland. I have had a bit too much work (for example, countless meetings related to the huge health care reform and “LAPE-hanke”). Consequently, now that we experienced this year’s first summer warmth today (almost June!), I notice that I perhaps should take away Easter and First of May decorations… I was also happy to notice this week that my second degree composter is no more frozen, and the mold there seems ready for use in the garden! A breakthrough in my gardening efforts! I am looking forward to see bigger flowers than ever!