Description
-The project will focus of shortage of specialized care services, the shortage of equipment, the need of more standardized or child-focused instruments for rehabilitation. -Main goal:Improvement of the access to and quality of care for Children with cerebral palsy, cardiologic diseases and psychic diseases In Sofia, Pernik and Kustendil -Specific goals: 1. Development of the conditions in Centers for children with disabilities 2. Enhancement of the methods of work with the children and their families 3. Additional qualification of specialists 4. Provision of additional support for the children through training for parents 5. Rising awareness of issues of children from the target groups -The project will build upon the local resources (already existing Centres, staff in place, support from local counterparts, motivated specialists) -The project will benefit children with cerebral palsy, cardiologic diseases and psychic diseases, the families of the children and specialists who are working with them.
Summary of project results
During the time of the project two new services were opened in Kjustendil and one in Sofia, new activities for children and parents have been started, a greater variety of groups of children with diseases were targeted. One new Center for rehabilitation of children in Sofia was set up, equipment and technical support were provided for two other centers for children, more children with cerebral palsy received rehabilitation, children with cardio-vascular diseases started receiving support through social services for the first time. There were added more forms of activities and methods of work with the children and families as follows: - the methods Petӧ for rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy, Applied Behavior Analysis for mental and behavioral disorders and SST test of attachment disorders were taught; - social rehabilitation of children with cardio-vascular diseases has been made available; - home visitation became part of the work with children and families; - the number of children with CP who receive rehabilitation in the social rehabilitation centers increased; - improvement of parents’ knowledge in specialized child care, increase of the participation of parents in the rehabilitation of their children.
Summary of bilateral results
The project showed to professionals and parents the value of proved, standardized, accountable methods of child needs assessment and intervention. The Norwegian experts demonstrated immediate good results for the children during the training sessions and described clear and feasible steps for long-term work with them and their families, and evaluation of results. The project demonstrated that it is the method, not the material environment, that made the difference in the Norwegian services for achieving results for the child development. That is why the number of project trainees reached 41 (15 planned) and we plan further training by our Norwegian partners.