Workshop 1:

1
Workshop 1

• Children with Disabilities

2
Main issues

• Barriers to inclusion
• Policies and regulations
• Physical environment
• Negative attitudes (under-estimation of
  capacities and potential)
• Low priority in the allocation of resources

3
Main issues

• Support to families in order to prevent
  institutionalisation of children with
  disabilities
• Quality of education in the mainstream
• Education in segregating settings or
  non-inclusive practices in the mainstream
  education
• Support and adaptation in the mainstream school
• Meeting the evolving needs of adolescents

4
Solutions

• Comprehensive review of legislation
• Developing national action plans
• Establishing coordination committees
• Planning de-institutionalisation
• Providing alternative services
• Ensuring adaptation and resources in mainstream
  services
• Enhancing the competence of professional staff
  and care-givers
• Allocating the necessary resources

5
Best practices

• Analysing the obstacles to de -
  institutionalisation
• Starting the process of inclusion from the
  diagnosis
• Information to parents
• Early support to the child and family
• Involving parents in the decisions concerning the
  child
• Consulting children
• Consulting and supporting the organisations of
  persons with disabilities

6
The way forward

• Enhancing awareness on the rights based approach
• Developing independent monitoring mechanisms
• Adopting inclusive practices in the mainstream
• Establishing standards for inclusive education
  and services

7
Follow-up

• Monitoring the fulfilment of the rights of
  children with disabilities
• Evaluating the improvement rate in inclusive
  education and approach in terms of
• Improvement of childrens abilities
• Change of attitudes towards diversity in peers
  and general population