Early Intervention – the key to the future of children with multisensory impairments
For any child with disabilities – sensory or of other nature – early intervention is the key to the future.
Sense International (Romania) has launched the „Report on Early Intervention for Children with Multisensory Impairments in Romania – 2007 – 2017 – Best Practice Model”. The event took place on June 30 2015, at 11, at Ibis Parliament Hotel, Izvor Street no. 82-84, Bucharest.
The report contains the results achieved by Sense International (Romania) in the field of early intervention throughout the seven years of implementation, statistical data, case studies and information regarding the impact of early intervention upon the development of small children with visual and/or hearing impairments.
The document is written as part of the project called Early Intervention for Multisensory Impaired Babies – A Unique and Innovative Approach Initiated by the Civil Society implemented by Sense International (Romania) between August 2013 – July 2016.
Between 2007-2014, Sense International (Romania) collected data regarding the hearing screening and early intervention in four major cities in Romania: Bucharest (2007-2014), Oradea (2007-2014), Timisoara (2009-2014) and Iasi (2013-2014). Data around visual testing started to be gathered in 2009 in Bucharest, Oradea and Timisoara, and in 2013 in Iasi. Since the beginning of the project until December 2014, 76.213 newborn babies have had their hearing screened at birth. Information around visual testing come from maternities and hospitals involved in the implementation of this project, as well as from ophthalmologists – between 2009-2014, 12.843 children have been tested for visual impairments.
Sense International (Romania) established four Early Intervention Support Centres. The first one was opened in 2007 in Bucharest, within the Kindergarten for Children with Hearing Impairments no. 65. The second centre was established and equipped in Oradea, in 2008, at the School Centre for Inclusive Education Cristal. The third centre was opened in 2009 in Timisoara, part of the School Centre for Inclusive Education Constantin Pufan. The most recent one was established in 2013 in Iasi, within the Special Technological Highschool Vasile Pavelcu.
From 2007 until December 2014, 155 children have been identified with sensory impairments and have been included in the early intervention programme in the four centres.
The research around early intervention for children with multisensory impairments in Romania – 2007 – 2017 – best practice model has taken place between June – December 2014, on a cohort of 53 parents of children included in the programme, and 56 specialists involved in the project – psychologists, social workers, neonatologists, audiologists, ophthalmologists, representatives of local authorities.
We have the conviction that together with the parents, teachers and doctors who are aware of the importance of early intervention, alongside local and national authorities, we will succeed to embed early intervention in the Romanian system of services.
The project is co-financed by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union, the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Thematic Fund for Civil Society Participation, the Block Grant for NGOs –Social Component. The total value of the project is 306.750 CHF, of which 214.725 CHF represents co-funding by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union.