Inclusive Education in Romania: Changes, Challenges and Opportunities: The power of a network RENINCO – Romania Prof.dr.Ecaterina Vrasmas

Steps towards Inclusion in Romania UN Convention on the Children Rights (1989) ratified by Romania in 1990 UNICEF role Seminar Handicap and Education, 1991 (UNICEF and UNESCO) The movement towards INTEGRATION Developing Integration pilot programs 1993 Information and training materials on Inclusive Education ( ) RENINCO role PHARE project for Inclusion – Ministry of Education,

CHANGES The Association RENINCO ROMANIA The National Network of Information and Cooperation for the Integration into Community of Children and Youngsters with Special Educational Needs

 RENINCO as a NETWORK (informal) has been established in 1994, under the framework of the collaboration between UNICEF Romania and the Ministry of Education, and NGOs, aiming to play a role for promoting the innovative projects and experiences in Special Needs Education and Child Protection.  The Association RENINCO Romania, as non- governmental organization with a juridical personality was born in THE HISTORY – Need of Collaboration

The RENINCO Network 1.Professionals, 2.Parents, 3.People with disability 4.Organisations 5.Universities 6.Schools 7.Associations

To support and encourage COMMUNITY INTEGRATION and the INCLUSION into society OF CHILDREN and YOUNGSTERS with Special Educational Needs (derived from disabilities or other conditions), through educational and social measures. The MISSION of RENINCO ROMANIA

The GENERAL POLICY after 2000 To promoteTo monitor INCLUSION in Education and Society of SEN

Steps towards Inclusion from 2010 Romanian Professionals Networks for Inclusive Education For teachers In Preschool ( ) and Primary Education (2012) GREI (National Group of Professionals Promoting Inclusive Education), 2011 Participation to an European Network on Inclusive Education from 2009

Types of ACTIVITIES a. Training courses b. Action-research activities c. Documentation materials (develop, elaborate, translate and disseminate guides and manuals) d. Support for the associations and institutions working for the inclusion of children and youngsters with Special Educational Needs (SEN) e. Information and councelling

Training courses for SCHOOLS In partnership with Ministry of Education Trainings for teachers, school managers, support teachers, special education teachers, preschool teachers, parents and other professionals, support services Teachers training in TRANSILVANIA

Seminars Professional integration & Inclusive education

Professional training in musicotherapy

Child Evaluation Training

Training in schools

Connecting Parents and Professionals partnership with National Authority for Child Protection -Training courses for 60 parents and professionals (support offered by USAID – World Learning ) -100 parents of children with disabilities -40 young people with disabilities and families (Support of National Authority for people with disabilities)

Training for PROFESSIONALS in Child Protection COMPLEX ASSESMENT (professionals from Protection and from Education of children with disabilities). CHILD protection MANAGEMENT (professionals from Commissions of child protection)

DIRECT SERVICES- RENINCO CENTERS 3 RENINCO RESOURCE CENTER IN BUCHAREST (RRCB) Informing and Counseling children and young people with disabilities, parents, professionals

Opportunities Projects partners Ministry of Education Ministry of Work and family School Inspectorates Universities Schools, Special Schools, Integrates structures in schools Teachers Metodological Centers Evaluation Services Resource Centers for Educational Assisstence

Projects: RENINCO-PHARE Support and Education for all Bucharest and Ramnicu Valcea (rural area), 400 students and their families 40 teachers

Support for European Disability Forum in making a Romanian coalition of NGOs (Romania National Council of Disability ) 2005

Collaboration with OCDE and Ministry of education Developing a tool for SEN inclusion on Statistics and data gathering in Romania OECD micro projects on statistics and data gathering ( ). A RENINCO presentation was made In Vienna (May 2007) for a OECD European Conference.

Collaboration with Ministry of Education in PHARE projects for Inclusive Education Consultancy Training Evaluation European Conference on Social Inclusion, France, 2009

International partnership with SOS Children Norway for Russia During several RENINCO representatives, from Bucharest, Resita and Onesti were offering assistance to a Norwegian project in Murmansk, Russia. They have attended as trainers regional workshops and two training workshops. RENINCO White Book (Best practices) from 1999 was translated into Russian.

Important POLICY DOCUMENTS National Strategy on Inclusive Education Project with Ministry of Education, National Authority on Child Protection and National Authority for People with Disability & UNICEF The Strategy for persons with special educational needs in the context of inclusive education was posted on the Ministry of Education website (April 2010).

Important DOCUMENTS The Educational Track of Chidren with Severe Learning Disabilities Project with Ministry of Education, National Authority on Child Protection and National Authority for People with Disability & Nederland Ambassy

EU Partnership Programmes Long Life Learning LEONARDO – Inclusive education, Professional Partnership for Inclusive education France, Italy, England, Island, Romania

EU Partnership Programmes Long Life Learning GRUNDTVIG- Inclusive education, families of peoples with SEN France, Italy, England, Island, Romania

POS DRU – Partnerships POSDRU/28705 Schools for all- Chances for me, chances for you and for all, Educational Centre for Inclusion- Roman and RENINCO POSDRU/48404, Near people with forms of social economy. HR Specialists – RENINCO,

All children are unic, important and valued All children can learn The school is made for children and to meet their needs

All children need to go to school, near their home

Main publications of RENINCO Integrated education for children with disabilities, UNICEF, RENINCO, 1998 RENINCO White Book, RENINCO & UNICEF, 1999 – translated into Russian in Teaching Guide for Children with Special Educational Needs, RENINCO & UNICEF, 2000

Mains publications RENINCO Let’s communicate with pleasure, UNICEF and RENINCO, 2000 Understanding and Responding to children’s needs in inclusive classrooms, UNESCO Guide, UNICEF, 2002 Set of instruments and tests for the educational assessment of children with disabilities, 2003

Main publications RENINCO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, WHO RENINCO was consultant and implementer of the Romanian version published by UNICEF in 2004 Guide for support teachers, UNICEF and RENINCO 2005 Stimulation Guide, Jim Dale, 2005; Steps towards inclusive education. UNICEF and UNICEF, 2008 Let s learn with pleasure, LOG, Exercises for speech therapy, 2009

Main publications guides RENINCO - The school inclusion of children with special educational needs (RENINCO and UNICEF); -The educational track for children with disabilities (RENINCO and UNICEF); -Models and forms of educational support in inclusive contexts (RENINCO, FRANCE Embassy)

Challenges Policy, practices and culture Policy Need of: Clarity, coherence, continuity Less competitive and more cooperative school education

Culture Need of: cooperation and collaboration with parents, between professionals, and children Changes in attitudes Empowerment and participation of parents Positive attitude on differences and particularities of development or environments Stereotipies and prejudice, tolerence and understandig of human value Value the individuality Self esteeme

Practices – need of School organisation and management, Planning individual activities, Diferenciation and individualisation of methodologies, Alternatives means and tools, Early intervention Children participation Professional partnership, parents partnership, Curriculum transformation - flexibility and adaptation Support for teachers Alternatives for schooling Specials school like resourse centres Collaboration between differents services for children Clarification on evaluation tools Curriculum evaluation and learning difficulties evalution Training for teachers (initial and contunuos) Professionals trainings Parents trainings

All for one, and one for all !

RENINCO info Postal Adress: Atelierului Street no.25, sector 1, Bucharest, ROMANIA Telephone: / WEB page:

All compliments, from parents, professionals, children and young people from RENINCO ROMANIA