Eurlyaid in the context of European Early Childood Intervention Prof. Dr. Manfred Pretis S.I.N.N., Austria, Medical School Hamburg, Germany Project Meeting 10./ St. Petersburg

What is EU-RLY-AID? Eurlyaid is an Association (NGO) of diverse stakeholders in Europe in the field of Early Childhood Intervention Eurlyaid is mainly based on yearly „working parties“ and/or conferences Structure: Honorary president: Helmut Heinen (BE) Current president: Karin Mosler (AT) Secretary General: Jacques Schlösser (LU) Executive Board (7 members) Member organisations/persons: around 40 from EU27 and associated countries

Multi-geographical/multi-sectoral/multi-professional perspective Members from diverse countries and professional backgrounds: Strong parent representation (NL, UK) Early Childhood Interventionists (AT, PT) MDs (NL, PT) Special Educators (GR, ES, UK) Therapists (Speech, Physio, Occupational) (LT, NO) Psychologists (DE, BE) Social Pedagogue/Social Worker (DE) (Neuro)Psychiatrists (FR)

Projects of Eurlyaid Manifesto (1991) Assessment Manifesto (1994/95) TS/eaei_assessment_uk.pdf TS/eaei_assessment_uk.pdf European Parent statisfaction scale (Lanners/Mombaerts, 2000) Eurylaid Training days (2000) Yearly Meetings (Lobby towards ECI) Grundtvig Project (2006) Online Publication (2009)

Strengths Strong parent focus (full participation of parents) „We are not cases, we wish to be equal partners and ECI are services which acompagny us along our way, but we know where to go!“ (Father of a child with disability, Brussels 2005).

Strengths Exchange related to diversity in approaches in Europe High Commitment/expertise of the members High continuity of relationships

Outputs 1)Eurlyaid Manifesto (1991) 2)Manifesto on Assessment (1994/95) 3) Eurlyaid Parent Satisfaction Scale EPASSEI (Lanners/Mombaerts (2000) 4) Eurlyaid Publication (2009): European Developments in Early Childhood Intervention

(1) Manifesto (1991) Early intervention is intended for all children who are subject to a developmental risk or developmental disability. The aid covers the period between the moment of prenatal diagnosis and the moment that the child reaches the age at which school is compulsory. It includes the entire process from the earliest possible identification and detection up to the moment of training and guidance

The situation in Europe ECI systems are observable in most of EU27 countries Central Europe (AT,DE, CH): mostly home-based services. Target groups: children with disabilities and partly at risk Eastern Europe (SK, HU, CZ, LT): Mostly centre-based services, still medically focused. Northern Europe: (NO, SW,FI): community – near home based systems with different levels of support South-West Europe (ES, PT) mixed/combined systems (home based/centre-based) South Europe (IT, GR): heterogeneous systems with a strong private component, mainly centre-based

Target numbers in EU Depending on the definition of the „eligible group“: (1,5% - 6) Eligibility criteria - children with disabilities - Children at risk (including VLBW) Some systems: vulnerable children (social disadvantaged)

(2) Assessment 1)To identify children at risk 2)To define and document such child`s health, functional, psychological and/or social conditions 3)To define and document parents´and family`s expectations, needs, concerns and/or competencies 4)To define and document outcomes of intervention

(3) EPASSEI (2000) 1)satisfaction about child-centered intervention 2)parent-centered intervention 3)sibling-centered intervention 4)partnership between professionals and parents, 5)organization of the service 6)help for the parents in accessing social networks, 7)help for the child in accessing social networks, 8)satisfaction with help accessing to community resources

Example of Parent Satisfaction Scale

(4) Publications (2009) and resources European Developments in Early Childhood Intervention Uploaded resources at the website

Synergies Integration of Members in divers other networks in ECI -European Agency ( -European Projects ( Transatlantic Consortium (Peterander/Akesson) /documents/ws3_bjork_akesson.pdf /documents/ws3_bjork_akesson.pdf -ISEI (joint Conferences 2003, )

European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education Recommendations (2005/2010) intervention-analysis-of-situations-in-europe-key-aspects-and-recommendations intervention-analysis-of-situations-in-europe-key-aspects-and-recommendations Availability of services for all children in need Proximity of services Affordability of services for all parents and children in need Transdisciplinarity of services Diversity of services

EBIFF: ECI Masters Curriculum Online assessment tool (matching between personal/institutional portfolio and EU curriculum frame) EU Passport on Professional training in ECI

PRECIOUS outcomes: Towards standards in ECI (Pretis 2010) - Curriculum related to Master (DE, TR, BE) - Set of quality rules - conceptual level (defining key concepts) - structural level (defining key structures with full participation of parents) - formative/process level (transparent and understandable description of all processes) - result level (definition and assessment of rsults: child, family and team-oriented) - sustainability (e.g. transition)

Expertise to contributed - Expert input representing high diversity -Long experience in planning, evaluating ECI systems -Focus on European perspective in ECI (full participation of parents, teams around the child, individual support strategies focusing on the „natural setting“ of children, inclusive perspective, professional training.

For further questions within the project: Please contac Manfred Pretis (AT) Bridget Fox (IR) Jan de Moor (NL) For specific Eurlyaid requests: