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Provide appropriate programs and support for children with multiple disabilities, visual impairment, and deafblindness in Croatia through early intervention, educational and rehabilitational programs, and family support. Collaborate with organizations and professionals nationally and internationally to strengthen programs for children with multiple disabilities and visual impairment.
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Day Care Center for Rehabilitation of Children and Youth Mali dom – ZagrebCroatia Access to Appropriate Programs for Children with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment and Deaf Blind Children in Croatia
Children with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment in Croatia • Prevalence of children with disabilities (up to 14 years) • Multiple disabilities : 13 540 • Multiple disabilities and visual impairment - estimated number 2402 • Deafblindness -estimated number -175 /250 • Timely detection • Undue referall
Support for Children with Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment • Early Intervention Programs • School programs • Special • Mainstream • Day Care Centres /educational and habilitational programs/ • Institutions /rehabilitational programs/ • Mali dom- Zagreb : specialized programs for MDVI children
Deafblindness • 2003. recognized in our legal system, but still there are problems in the identification, diagnosis and classification of deafblind people • Educational and rehabilitational programs for DB children: • Schools (special and mainstream schools) – with no or mild additional disabilities • Mali dom- Zagreb –with additional disabilities • Dodir – focused mostly on adults
Mali dom - Zagreb Inter/transdisciplinary assessment Early intervention Resourcecenter Educational/Rehabilitational program Networking withorganizationsand professionals nationally and internationally
History • Started as NGO working with MDVI children 18 years ago • Perkins School for the Blind – from 1997 with first ELP student, until today constant support in developing appropriate programs • CBM Germany • 2001 program officially recognized as spealized program for MDVI children from the Ministry of Social Welfare • NGO transformed into public institution Mali dom- Zagreb founded by City of Zagreb • Up to now more than 1320 children with multiple impairments and their families have been supported by our program
Inter/transdisciplinary assessment • GMFM – functional motor assessment • Educational rehabilitation assessment • Functional vision assessment • General movement /developmental assessment birth to 3 month/ • Speech and communication aassessment • Sensory integration assessment • Occupational therapy assessment • Psychologicalassessment
Assessment • Inter/Transdisciplinary • Spec.Ed.Teachers • Physiotherapist • Speech therapist • Occupational therapist • Pychologist • SIAT therapist • Overall • Basis for the creation of optimal individual educational plan
EarlyIntervention • Rehabilitation programs from birth to the age of 3 years • Home visits and centre based • Creating Individual educational plan and the individual family support/service plan (IFSP) and family map • Additional programs: • Experience groups • Halliwick swimming • Parents support group
Day Care Center • Mali dom runs its program through the everyday activities • After assessment, observation and consulting with parents, IEP – individual education plan is created for every and each child • Number of children in the group:6 – 8 • In each group there are individual and group activities conducts in accordance with goals set in IEP of every child
Daily living activities Domestic activities Educationalactivities Social/Cultural/ Leisure activities
Communication • Basis and integral part of our curriculum • Embedded in all activities and used across all curriculum areas • Multimodal communication approach • Assessment of child’s communication level • Communication system matching child’s communication level
Specifichabilitationservices Therapy dog Swimming Snoezeln Assistive tecnology Sensory integration Kinesitherapy Visual stimulations Orientation and mobility Low vision devices
Creative therapeutic activities • Musictherapy • Movementand dance therapy • Arttherapy -
CommunityOutings • Through workshops with children from regular schools • Through public actions • Throughartprojectsandexhibitions
Family Support • Active participants in the process • Partners – included in developingof individual education plan setting goals and achieveing them • Individual and group support • Family gatherings
Resource Centre and Networking • providing support for schools and other service providers in developing appropriate Early intervention program and educational program for MDVI/DB children • Organizing seminars , in-service trainings , exchange visits on a national level • And on a regional level through Perkins International in: Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chezk Republic, Romania, Armenia, Greece , Serbia • Cooperation on various projects with Universities, hospitals, schools, UNICEF, etc
StrengtheningPrograms for Childrenwith MDVI in Croatia • WEAKNESSES: • Poorinteragency coordination between health, social welfareand educational systems • Lack of transition planning
StrengtheningPrograms for Childrenwith MDVI/DB in Croatia • Positive changes: • Public Awareness • Networkingbetween professionals and organizations from different fields • Legal framework: Master plan of deinstutialization • Access to appropriate education • Ecological vs. Medicalapproach
