More information
Description
The educational, health and social system does not provide adequate solutions for children with disabilities and their families, as well as for other families at risk. The systems are undercapacitated, unprepared, the professional staff is insufficiently educated. Educators, teachers, teachers are not ready to work with them, there is a lack of professional staff and professional associates, groups of children are too large and there is a great lack of non-institutional services and facilities for social services and quality free time and the unavailability of many therapies. would progress. The system is obliged to ensure guaranteed rights and it is the civil society that has the solutions, but while we play as rivals and not partners with the same goal, change will not be possible.
The goals we want to achieve are:
- Propose public policies and amendments to regulations aimed at improving the rights of children with disabilities, persons with disabilities and socially excluded groups and the financing of social services in the community
- Strengthen the capacities of educators and employees of the social welfare system
- Sensitize the public and encourage intercultural dialogue through the Media Campaign;
The project idea directly contributes to the achievement of the impact 2: Increased support for human rights, rule of law and good governance. The planned activities will promote European standards of social services and promote the rights of children with disabilities and children at risk and thus implement the National Strategy for Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. the first signatories in 2007, which has unfortunately remained a letter on paper since then.
Summary of project results
The city of Vukovar and the Vukovar-Srijem County currently belong to one of the least developed centers of the HR. Due to the difficult situation and the too slow recovery of the economy of this area, one of the groups most affected by poverty and social exclusion are children, especially children from families with lower financial status, children in foster families and children with developmental disabilities (RD). The mentioned group is most often excluded from the preschool education system; poor, multi-member families and foster parents do not have the means to pay for the program, while on the other hand, kindergartens are not adequately prepared to work with children with TUR and simply refuse their enrollment. The above results in the social exclusion of this group, these children do not have the opportunity to play with their peers, the opportunity to develop social skills, which results later in a more difficult integration into the education system, further deprivation and exclusion, and ultimately behavioral problems. All this is guaranteed to them on paper, but without the work of civil society, it unfortunately remains only on paper.
Research was carried out to assess the presence, benefits, drawbacks, and varieties of social services in Eastern Croatia, alongside exploring financing models for programs. Focus groups were convened, involving representatives from local authorities and competent bodies. Subsequently, proposals for public policies and regulatory adjustments were formulated and disseminated as open letters directed towards representatives and decision-makers across the Republic of Croatia. A short guide on the rights of children with disabilities with useful instructions and contacts was created and the #posebnakaoiti campaign was carried out.
Through the project, public policy proposals and changes in regulations aimed at improving the rights of children with disabilities, persons with disabilities and socially excluded groups and the financing of social services emerged, the capacities of employees of educational institutions and employees of the social welfare system were strengthened, and the public was sensitized and encouraged to engage in intercultural dialogue through a media campaign.