Description
The project’s aim is to promote social integration of children with disabilities by establishing an early development programme, stimulating communication skills, reducing social exclusion, helping to prepare for school. Within the project a social rehabilitation plan will be developed and implemented, an IT software will be designed and approbated by the project promoter and the Cerebral Palsy Association of Iceland, a sensory integration programme will be created, environment adapted and a wheelchair lift installed. Trainings of the Association’s staff, specialists and the parents will take place. The project expects to lessen the negative effects of disabilities to the target group, prepare them for school, create an innovative interactive system of games –tests for assessing development levels and progress of development and for stimulating development, as well as an international conference about children’s disabilities issues. The target group is children of pre-school age with cerebral palsy and autistic spectrum disorders, and their families.
Summary of project results
Project goal was to reduce severity of disability of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and autistic spectrum disorders by complex intervention that is focused on use of IT technologies and sensor integration that facilitates child’s communication and mental development to ensure his/her participation at school” is fully reached. Children with CP who have reached the school age have started to attend mainstream school,younger children attend day care centres and kindergartens. Only children with good social and communication skills can fully participate in the society. 20children with CP and autism participated in the project in Latvia. Children with CP in Iceland participated in testing the IT program. Indirect participants were 500 children with disabilities in Latvia who attend educational facilities and who are the potential users of the IT program. Results: 20children with disabilities received complex assessment, individual rehabilitation plan for each child was developed, children according to their needs received physio, occupational, speech and language therapy, they worked with psychologist and special educator, as well received FRM doctor’s consultations. School age children are prepared for participation at school- 4 children started to attend mainstream school, others- preschool facilities. IT program available in
www.puznis.lv in Latvian,Icelandic and English languages An International conference on childhood disabilities was organized (410participants). 40m2 of premises were renovated, sensory stimulation room was developed, a lift chair to the 2nd floor was installed. Without the professional input of the partners- consultations and professional advices of S. Sigurdardottir and society CP Iceland the high quality of the project would not be possible. They participated in the development of IT program, advices evidence based assessment- AEPS and consulted the NGO.
Summary of bilateral results
Project partner - Cerebral Palsy (CP) Association of Iceland which is a non-governmental organization that has been created for people with CP, their families, professionals who work with them and other interested parties. Within the project CP Association of Iceland provided translation of software in Icelandic and its approbation for 20 children. Two delegates of CP Association of Iceland took part in the international conference "From Exclusion to Inclusion", as well as in a seminar in which members of the association and parents of cerebral palsy patients were taking part. In the seminar the rights of families raising a child with cerebral palsy, family and children oriented education and health care system, as well as the role and importance of an inclusive education were discussed. The role of parents in child-raising and the involvement in early childhood development programs, as well as the role of these programs in the further life and education of the children were emphasized. Delegates of CP Association of Iceland met with members of the association and discussed the role of openness, participation, liability and utility in the work of non-governmental organizations. Solveiga Sigurdardottira consulted the functional and intellectual evaluation of the children and the application of the AEPS Test. She took part in the creation of the software and its approbation in Icelandic. Solveiga Sigurdardottira was consulting also the creation of a sensory stimulation room in the association. Solveiga Sigurdardottira participated in the international conference "From Exclusion to Inclusion" as a lecturer with a report about the cognitive profile, behavioral and emotional expression of pre-school aged children with CP, as well as with a report about the work of SCPE in the field of cerebral palsy research.