Severity of child’s disability down in Belarus
This has become possible owing to a joint project of UNICEF and Belarus’ Healthcare Ministry implemented since 2017. It primarily aimed to create an effective system which will make it possible to early detect developmental disorders or risks of their occurrence in children from 0 to 3 years old.
Over four years, the necessary regulatory and legal documents have been approved, and new methods and norms for providing interdisciplinary assistance to families with disabled children have been developed.
At present, thirty-seven early intervention centres operate in the country – with the required office, rehabilitation and gaming equipment. About 1,000 specialists from all over Belarus have been trained in modern methods and approaches of working with children with disabilities. Almost 20,400 boys and girls have so far received free assistance. As a result, severity of child's disability has decreased by 3 percent.
“In our work over the recent four years, we have investigated the ways to better identify difficulties at an early stage, to support children, their families and specialists. Of course, this work needs constant efforts, and we have not yet achieved the desired result. However, we enjoy support from the Government, have access to strategic documents and practice. I want to note the achievements of all those who participated in the project and express hope that UNICEF and its partners will continue working in this field,” UNICEF Belarus Representative, Tanja Radocaj, said.
