Description
The aim of the project is to ensure support and assistance for 30 children and young people with disabilities from Campia Turzii and their families – 60 parents – for their personal, social functional recovery and rehabilitation and their integration in the community. Through this project, a recovery center for children with autism will be established, which will also have a day center component for young people with disabilities. The center will offer integrated services for both target groups which are meant to contribute to their cognitive, sensory and emotional development, the development of verbal and non verbal communication skills, the development of their personal autonomy. Their communication and relational skills will be formed, through developing a social behavior which is adequate for social integration. The children's and young people's parents will participate in parental education courses and support groups and they will be directed and motivated to properly fulfill their parental duties and to improve their social functioning.
Summary of project results
Campia Turzii is a small former mono-industrial town from Romania, with a critical socio-economic situation of its inhabitants. In the local center for children with disabilities run by the authorities, there was no specialist providing services to children with autistic spectrum disorders. In the same time, youth with disabilities are subject to social isolation. In this context, the project developed and run two recovery centers, one for children with autism and another one for young people with disabilities. 20 children with autism and 10 young people with disabilities that have never benefited from recovery therapies because of the precarious financial situation of their families were provided with specific therapies within the project. For the children with autism the aim was to improve their cognitive, sensory and emotional development, while for the young people with disabilities the aim was to develop their personal autonomy, to form and develop writing and reading abilities, to form social behaviours and practical abilities. In order to increase social skills, camps and different community actions have been organized for children and youth beneficiaries. The youths have also visited two sheltered workshops as a model of good practices in the social integration of people with disabilities. A guide was produced to provide basic and practical information about autism to parents/caregivers and other professionals working with children with autism. A number of 60 parents/caregivers of children with autism and young people with disabilities participated in the Parents’ School classes and support groups, in order to improve their parental skills. The final evaluations revealed progresses for all children and young people according to their individual particularities in the area of communication, cognitive, sensory and emotional development, and social skills. Slower progress was registered by young people regarding cognitive and speech acquisitions, and independent life skills. This is related to the age at which the intervention began, young people needing a longer time to make more visible progresses in this area. A number of 9 young people developed their practical abilities, 2 of them being accepted in a professional activity, in an agricultural farm and in constructions. The project proved that children with autism and also the young people with disabilities can be socially integrated and they deserve the chance to have a normal life.
Summary of bilateral results