On October 17, 2017 the conference on the occasion of the official opening of the Twinning project "Support to Ukrainian administration in developing a legal and administrative set up to introduce a system of early intervention and rehabilitation for children with disability or having a risk of disability" for the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine took place.
The Project’s aim is to strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian administration at central and local level in developing and introducing a system of early intervention and rehabilitation for children with disabilities and children at risk of disability thus to enhance the new role of public administration in terms of social, medical services provision including quality, accessibility, financial sustainability and an integrated approach of engaging parents in such service.
The Project is implemented jointly with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Professional Training and Social Dialogue of French Republic and French International Technical Expertise Agency (Agence Française d'Expertise Technique Internationale - AFETI) in active cooperation between the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on developing an effective regulatory basis for providing early intervention services in accordance with the standards of the European Union.
Deputy Minister for European Integration of Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine Oleksandra Churkina in her opening speech underlined the importance of project implementation within the framework for introducing early intervention system in Ukraine which will ensure the provision of quality medical, social and educational services to children with disabilities and children at risk of disability including through creating the inclusive classrooms in educational institutions.
At the same time, Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Mykola Shambir admitted that the first step on the path towards effective implementation of healthcare reform should be approximation of Ukrainian legislation with EU standards and operation of early intervention system including the provision of medical, social and educational services according to children’s needs.
On behalf of the EU Delegation to Ukraine the First Counsellor, the Head of Section – Economic Cooperation, Social and Regional Development of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Juana Mera-Cabello welcomed the participants and expressed readiness of European part for comprehensive support in project implementation.
Welcoming speeches were also delivered by the Deputy Head of Embassy of France to Ukraine Christophe Le Rigoleur, Chief of European and International Affairs Office, Directorate General of Social Cohesion of Ministry of Solidarity and Health of France Alexis Rinckencbach, Director for Social Policy of Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund in Ukraine (UNICEF) Artur Ayvazov and Commissioner for the President of Ukraine for the Rights of People with Disabilities Valery Sushkevich.
Project Leader Andrii Tretiak welcomed the participants and expressed the gratitude to French Republic for confidence to implement mentioned project as well as presented an overview planned activities within the framework of 4 components and briefed about realized activities.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union the meeting was attended by the Deputy Head of the Projects Management Unit Inna Bielobratova.
Twinning Project "Support to Ukrainian administration in developing a legal and administrative set up to introduce a system of early intervention and rehabilitation for children with disability or having a risk of disability" includes its main goals:
- review the current legislation on and rehabilitation for children with disabilities and children at risk of disability and providing them with social services;
- prepare a project for a new system of early intervention services for children with disabilities ant at risk of disability;
- create a basic standard and calculation of the cost of early intervention service;
- prepare a project for reporting, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of early intervention service of Ukraine.