KEY ASPECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION

KEY ASPECTS AND KEY ASPECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN EARLY RECOMMENDATIONS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION

STEFANIJA ALIŠAUSKIENĖSTEFANIJA ALIŠAUSKIENĖ2009 2009

BudapestBudapest

Short introduction into Early Short introduction into Early Childhood Intervention Childhood Intervention (ECI)(ECI)

Recommendations of Recommendations of ECI ECI European European Agency projectAgency project

Early Childhood InterventionEarly Childhood Intervention (ECI) (ECI) relates relates to the right of very young children and their to the right of very young children and their families to receive the support they might families to receive the support they might needneed – usually– usually it is a it is a multi-professional multi-professional support (medical, educational, psychological, support (medical, educational, psychological, social) for young children (0 -3) at risk / with social) for young children (0 -3) at risk / with developmental disorders and their families. developmental disorders and their families.

ECI aims to suECI aims to suppport and port and empowerempower the child, the child, the family and the services involved.the family and the services involved.

European Agency for Development in Special Needs European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education in 2003 – 2005 carried out the project Education in 2003 – 2005 carried out the project “Early “Early Childhood Intervention” Childhood Intervention”

22 experts from 19 European countries took part in a project.22 experts from 19 European countries took part in a project.

Five main aspects have been analysed in a project process:Five main aspects have been analysed in a project process:

▪▪ Availability Availability ((ECI reaches all children and families in need)ECI reaches all children and families in need) ▪▪ Proximity (Proximity (near to a place and near to a personnear to a place and near to a person))

▪▪ Affordability (Affordability (cost free services/provisioncost free services/provision)) ▪▪ Interdisciplinary working (Interdisciplinary working (involves professionals from involves professionals from various disciplinesvarious disciplines)) ▪▪ DiversityDiversity (health, education, social sectors share (health, education, social sectors share responsibilities) responsibilities)

The European The European // international documents published international documents published in the last 20-30in the last 20-30 years, highlighted the progression years, highlighted the progression of change of change from interventionfrom intervention mainly mainly focused on focused on the childthe child to to a broader approach, where a broader approach, where

the the focusfocus was placed was placed on the child in a family on the child in a family and the community contextsand the community contexts. .

The new concept of early childhood intervention The new concept of early childhood intervention (ECI) has been developed, in which (ECI) has been developed, in which health,health, educationeducation and and socialsocial sciences, particularly sciences, particularly psychologypsychology, were , were directly involveddirectly involved..

The The ecological-systemicecological-systemic approach provides a approach provides a systemic way of analysing, understanding and systemic way of analysing, understanding and supporting the young child and his/her family.supporting the young child and his/her family.

Family members/ Family members/ parents parents are the partnersare the partners in in the process of intervention. the process of intervention.

ECI covers any action undertaken when a child ECI covers any action undertaken when a child needs special support in order to:needs special support in order to:

ensure and enhance her/his personal ensure and enhance her/his personal development development

strengthen the family’s own competencesstrengthen the family’s own competences promote the social inclusion of the family promote the social inclusion of the family

and the childand the child

These actions are to be provided in the These actions are to be provided in the child’s child’s natural settingnatural setting, preferably , preferably at a local levelat a local level, with , with family-oriented family-oriented and and multi-dimensional multi-dimensional teamworkteamwork approach. approach.

RecommendationsRecommendationsAvailability (1)Availability (1)

ECI needs to reach all children and families in ECI needs to reach all children and families in need need as early as possibleas early as possible..

RecommendationsRecommendationsAvailabilityAvailability (2) (2)

AvailabilityAvailability of information of information

Clear and precise information about ECI services Clear and precise information about ECI services should be offered at local, regional and national should be offered at local, regional and national levels to families and professionals from all levels to families and professionals from all services using precise and accessible language.services using precise and accessible language.

RecommendationsRecommendationsAvailabilityAvailability (3) (3)

Clear definition of target groupsClear definition of target groups

ECI centres and professionals should focus on the ECI centres and professionals should focus on the defined target groups, according to priorities defined target groups, according to priorities established at local, regional and national levels. established at local, regional and national levels.

RecommendationsRecommendationsProximityProximity (1)(1)

Decentralisation of servicesDecentralisation of services

ECI services and provision should be located ECI services and provision should be located as as close as possible to the familiesclose as possible to the families in order to: in order to:

Facilitate better knowledge of the conditions of Facilitate better knowledge of the conditions of the families’ social environmentthe families’ social environment

Ensure the same quality of service despite Ensure the same quality of service despite differences in location (rural areas, villages etc.)differences in location (rural areas, villages etc.)

Avoid overlaps, irrelevant or misleading pathwaysAvoid overlaps, irrelevant or misleading pathways

RecommendationsRecommendationsProximity (2)Proximity (2)

Meeting the needs of families and children Meeting the needs of families and children ECI needs to protect the rights of a child and a ECI needs to protect the rights of a child and a

family family Families have the right to be informed and to Families have the right to be informed and to

decide together with professionals on the next decide together with professionals on the next stepssteps

The development of a written document (Individual The development of a written document (Individual Plan) needs to be prepared by professionals Plan) needs to be prepared by professionals together with families.together with families.

Families should receive training upon request, Families should receive training upon request, which would help them to obtain the required skills which would help them to obtain the required skills and knowledge.and knowledge.

RecommendationsRecommendationsAffordabilityAffordability

In order to ensure that ECI services reach all In order to ensure that ECI services reach all families and young children in need, it is families and young children in need, it is necessary that necessary that cost free servicescost free services areare made made available for the families.available for the families.

RecommendationsRecommendations Interdisciplinary workingInterdisciplinary working

ECSECS involves professionals from various disciplines involves professionals from various disciplines and different backgrounds. In order to ensure and different backgrounds. In order to ensure quality teamwork, are suggested: quality teamwork, are suggested: Co-operation with familiesCo-operation with families as the main partners as the main partners of the professionals :of the professionals :

Professionals have to Professionals have to initiate co-operationinitiate co-operation and and have the respectful attitude towards the family have the respectful attitude towards the family -- to to understand their needs without imposing their understand their needs without imposing their point of view point of view

Professionals should organise meetings Professionals should organise meetings - to- to discuss discuss different issues with parentsdifferent issues with parents;; together set up an together set up an agreed document (Individual Plan).agreed document (Individual Plan).Team building approach – Team building approach – share principles, share principles, objectives, working strategies.objectives, working strategies.

RecommendationsRecommendations DiversityDiversity

In order to ensure that In order to ensure that healthhealth, , educationeducation and and social social sectors involved in ECI services share sectors involved in ECI services share responsibilities, the adequate responsibilities, the adequate coordination coordination of of sectors is suggested: sectors is suggested:

All sectorsAll sectors should be involved in should be involved in early detectionearly detection in order to avoid gaps /delays that might affect in order to avoid gaps /delays that might affect further development of the child/family/intervention.further development of the child/family/intervention.

Developmental screeningDevelopmental screening need needss to be well to be well known and systemically implemented. known and systemically implemented.

Services should ensure Services should ensure continuitycontinuity of the required of the required support when children are moving from one support when children are moving from one provisions to anotherprovisions to another..

Thank You !Thank You ! Time for reflectionsTime for reflections