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Description
The goal of the project is the educational and social integration of 550 children with special educational needs (SEN) and 363 children at risk of early school leaving. In this regard, the project proposes an integrated intervention model according to the children'' needs, based on 3 directions – direct intervention, through the educational community and through parents. The project activities include: remedial education, psychological counselling, speech therapy, non-formal education, support groups activities for children with SEN and children at risk of early school living; continuous vocational training for 174 teachers working with children on inclusive education related topics; awareness raising campaign on inclusive education; parental education for 500 parents of children involved in the project.
Partner 1, General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection Neamt, will be involved in selection of target groups and provision of services to children.
Partner 2, Social Alert Romania Association, will be coordinate the capacity building of teachers, given its extensive expertise.
Summary of project results
The specific issue addressed by the project is the risk of social exclusion due to educational exclusion caused by school dropout or special educational needs (SEN). This issue is particularly prevalent in the counties of Neamț and Iași, where the project intervened.
Low participation in formal education and school dropout are phenomena affecting almost all rural schools and a significant portion of urban schools. The high rate of absenteeism is alarming, as it leads to school dropout, especially during the transition from middle school to high school.
Educational exclusion, combined with the social vulnerabilities to which children and young people in the primary target group are exposed, significantly increases the risk of social exclusion while they are still in school. This, in turn, makes professional integration extremely difficult for most of them. In Neamț County, at the end of 2018, statistics from the County Agency for Payments and Social Inspection of Neamț showed an average of 6,040 beneficiaries of the minimum guaranteed income, in addition to 7,441 beneficiaries of heating aid. The level of poverty in the Northeastern region is very high, according to studies conducted by the National Institute of Statistics. At the end of 2017, the proportion of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in this region was 43%, making it the most affected area in the country.
Another cause of educational exclusion is the lack of adequate support for children with SEN, for whom the educational system in this region is unprepared. A study by the European Center for the Rights of Children with Disabilities revealed that, for the 33,748 children with SEN enrolled in mainstream schools, there were only 1,385 support teachers. At the county level, the situation is even more severe. For the 697 registered children with SEN, there were only 35 support teachers and 37 psychologists.
For the primary target group—children and young people at risk of school dropout—the project identified the following key needs:
- The need for personalized educational support
- The need for an individual and integrated approach that considers the entire social and educational context affecting each child
- The need for additional resources from both educational and social experts to work with each case
- The need for highly interactive educational tools
- The need for social support
- The need for personal development, particularly in terms of motivation and self-confidence
- The need to participate in integrated, desegregated activities alongside children who are not at risk
For children with SEN, the following needs were identified:
The need for desegregation
- The urgent need for personalized support activities
- The need to develop individual skills
- The need for integrated psycho-pedagogical counseling
A number of pressing needs were also identified for the secondary target group, which includes educational and social experts as well as parents:
- The need for counseling
- The need for exposure to concrete working models and successful integrated approaches for working with vulnerable children
- The need for continuous professional communication and improved skills in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities
- The need for constant access to new information and best practices
- The need to inform parents about specific ways to support their children''s education
The need to raise awareness of the importance of education in social integration. Although referred to as the secondary target group, its role is crucial in ensuring the educational and social integration of children.
The intervention methods proposed by the project achieved a high level of effectiveness due to the following two key components:
- Integrated strategy – This strategy was based on a personalized analysis of needs, followed by a unified approach through coordinated actions by experts. It aimed not only to achieve the project’s objectives but also to ensure a long-term impact on the supported schools.
- Tailored methods – The proposed methods were specifically adapted to the real needs of both the primary and secondary target groups. This was ensured through a diagnosis of these needs and consultation with relevant experts in each community. Beneficiaries were involved from the selection stage of both target groups in determining the type of materials and implementation methods for the activities aimed at them. Each activity started with structured questionnaires, based on which materials were developed and activities implemented. Additionally, results were dynamically monitored, not just to meet project indicators but also to ensure long-term impact. All activities had a strongly integrative character.
As a result of the project:
- 436 children and young people at risk of early school dropout and 614 children with special educational needs (SEN) received support.
- Additionally, 98 teachers were trained to work with children and young people at risk of early school dropout, while 153 teachers were trained to work with children with SEN.
- At the same time, 284 parents of children and young people at risk of early school dropout and 304 parents of children or young people with SEN received support.
The project proposed and implemented a sustainable service model for children at risk of early school dropout and/or with special educational needs (SEN).
Key results included the establishment of a support group for children at risk of dropping out, which remained functional even after the project ended. Additionally, the support network for teachers working with children with SEN and those at risk of dropping out has remained active. This network continues to share expertise and know-how through regular workshops, ensuring long-term impact and ongoing professional development.