Ensuring integrated and inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care

Context: Romania Large Roma population: 619,000 (census) – over 2 million (est.). Poverty rates in Romania

Context: Education Only 3% Roma children attending ante-preschool services (crèches) Enrolment rate of Roma children in pre-school education lower than national average by 40% 45% of the ones that do not complete gymnasium have never been enrolled in kindergarten and crèches Bi-lingualism is widespread – children from Romani- speaking families tend to start Romanian in pre-school Poor school performance is the lead cause of drop outs Pre-school attendance UNDP/World Bank/European Commission regional Roma survey data

Regional Context 15% of Roma children under the age of 14 are not vaccinated compared to 4% of children from non Roma households* 61% of Roma reported malnutrition* compared with 11% non-Roma Share of the population not having access to secure housing: 27% of Roma compared with 4% of non-Roma* Child (aged 0-6) vaccination rates in the countries of Central and Southeast Europe in 2011 *UNDP/World Bank/European Commission regional Roma survey data

Investing in Early Childhood Education and Care Extreme poverty and malnutrition in young age have lasting negative effects on subsequent health and development Early intervention is more effective and less costly than later remediation EU framework: Communications on ECEC and Social Investment package, EU Roma Framework etc

Strategies – at the local level Model interventions that are: Integrated: social, health, education Inclusive Building on existing structures (esp. school and health mediators) Involving parents and communities Promoting Roma role models

Strategies – at the national level Influencing policies, laws and strategies Generating evidence: evaluate models, document lessons learned Mobilising resources to facilitate scaling of relevant models

Multifunctional center for early childhood development Why? -Limited access for pre- school and ECEC services, esp. in rural areas and for Roma children -Limited competency of the staff, high turn-over -Lack of adequate facilities and methodologies -Significant focus on children surveillance rather on children development Where? -Disadvantaged rural areas -Existing kindergartens and crèches -Multi-ethnic communities with significant Roma population

Multi-functional center for early childhood development Where? -Disadvantaged rural areas -Existing kindergartens and crèches -Multi-ethnic communities with significant Roma population

Multi-functional center for early childhood development What? -Holistic approch of the child development : education, health, nutrition, protection and parenting -Equal chances for all children through personalized education -Child-centered education -Sustainable at community level -Playing together, growing together, living together

How? Building a partnership with local authorities Building multi-disciplinary teams (pediatrician, nurse, educator, psychologist, social worker) Increase parental competences: from pre-natal period continuing to first years of childs life Increase accessibility of disadvantaged children - financial support (cost of meals) A Local Group becomes resource persons within the community regarding childcare and education. Multi-functional center for early childhood development

Results -Model: 17 centers developed, with start-up costs estimated at 5,000 -For each class of 20 children there are 5 Roma children fully integrated with all costs supported by local community -Multi-disciplinary teams in place -Parents participating as volunteers -Communities aware and fully involved in the Centers -Guide to establish Multifunctional Centers developed and distributed -Model expanded to 200 communities through a grant from OSI Multi-functional center for early childhood development

The way forward: Further documentation and evaluation of the model Integration of the model within larger social inclusion interventions targeting vulnerable populations Advocate for the model to be included and further scaled-up as part of the relevant national strategies: Strategy for Roma Inclusion, Social Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation Strategy, Early Childhood Education Plan, Health Strategy Further resource mobilization: approaching EEA Norway grants and EU structural funds Multi-functional center for early childhood development

THANK YOU! MULȚUMESC!