Senast uppdaterad:
5
dec.
A barrier free future for every child
09:00 - 16:00, Webbinarium via Zoom
Online event on inclusion and family based support to children with disabilities - with a focus on ongoing initiatives in Ukraine.
Children with disabilities have the right to participation and to a safe and supporting upbringing. Ensuring the right of every child to grow up in a family environment is a fundamental aspect of the modern welfare state and a key principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In 2024, Sweden holds the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The aim of this online event is to share good or promising practices for participation of all children, and strengthen networks of experts and organizations representing children with disabilities in Ukraine, Nordic, Baltic and other European countries.
About the event
The programme consists of four main sessions:
- The current situation in Ukraine, main challenges and policy initiatives that aim to lead Ukraine on its path to ensuring every child's right to grow up in the family environment and be included in society.
- National experiences on moving away from an institutional to a community-based approach, progress from institutions to individual support, challenges and response to meet the various needs of children with disabilities.
- Practice and concrete examples in the social sector that aims to inclusion in society
- Practice and concrete examples for inclusive education that aims towards inclusion in society
Time
9:00-16:00 (CET), 5th of December 2024
Place
Streamed via Zoom
Language
English and captions in English, interpretation to Ukrainian and International sign language.
Target groups
Policy makers, public officials, service providers, experts in the public sector and civil society including organisations representing children with disabilities on national, regional and local levels.
Moderator
David Lega
About David Lega on davidleda.eu
Program
09:00-09:30 Opening of the conference
Opening remarks:
- Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister of Social services in Sweden
- Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy in Ukraine (TBC)
- Karen Elleman, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers
09:30-10:30 The situation and initiatives for inclusion and family-based care in Ukraine today
- The Better Care reform and the importance of its success with Iryna Tulyakova, Head of the Coordinating Center for the Development of Family Education and Childcare in Ukraine
- The current path of the child with disability from birth to adulthood and the vision forward with Tetiana Lomakina, Advisor - Presidential Commissioner for Barrier-Free Environment
- The importance of including persons with own experience in the reform with Kyrylo Newdokha, representative of young people with living experience, office “DIYMO”, under the Ministry of Social Policy
- The potential of and pre-conditions for change with Jean Choi, Child Protection Section Chief, UNICEF Ukraine
- Needs of children with disabilities in Ukraine, role of CSOs and the possible ways forward Marianna Onufryk, Head of NGO “Family for Persons with Disabilities” and NGO “Social Synergy”, Ukrainian Child’s Rights Network
10:45-11:45 Thematic session 1: From institutions to individual- family- and community based support
- European cooperation on needs based social service provision with Olga Martinez de Briones, Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
- Inclusion of and personalized support for children with disabilities in Estonia with Brit Tammiste, Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonia
- The impact of CRPD on disability policy in Finland with Tea Hoffrén, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland
- What have we learnt and how can we move forward towards a community-based approach with Georgette Mulheir, external expert to the European Disability Forum
12:30-14:00 Thematic session 2: Early interventions, inclusive service provision and specialized support to families and children with disabilities
- Providing specialized services to families and children in Lviv, Ukraine with Zoreslava Lyulchak, Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv region, Ukraine.
- Strengthen communication and reduce risk of sibling’s psychological difficulties in Norway with Torun Vatne, Frambu Competence Center for Rare Diagnoses and the University of Oslo, Department of Psychology, Norway
- Early needs assessment according to the best interest of the child in inclusive mainstream service and family centers in Sweden with Karin Flyckt, Swedish Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden
- Panel discussion: Maria Möllergren, Swedish Board of Health and Welfare
14:15-15:45 Thematic session 3: Integrated support for inclusive education
- Most important aspects of inclusive education and an overview of best practice with Elisabeth Högberg, European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education
- Digital universe makes it easy for teachers to include students with special needs in movement activities with Karla Borup Jonsen and Louise Brøns Spillum, Danish Knowledge Centre on Disability
- Inclusion in mainstream schools – universal design and individual support in Sweden with Jonas Monsén, Swedish National Agency for Education
- Panel Discussion: Kristina Dudonyte, Association of Independent Living and the L'Arche Kaunas Community, Lithuania, Ingrid Thunem, Disabled Youth Norway, Malin Ekman Aldén, Director General of the Swedish Agency for Participation
15:45-16:00 Closing remarks
- Åsa Johansson, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden
- Tea Hoffrén, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland
Background
Meeting the diverse needs of children, including children with disabilities, is a challenge but also political priority in many countries.
The right of the child is an important issue for collaboration in the Nordic Council of Minister’s programme for cooperation on disability as well as the EU strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities.
The transition from institutional care to family-based support and inclusion of every child with a disability, is one of the topics for support and collaboration Stated in the Memorandum of understanding between Sweden and Ukraine.
Reforming the system of care and upbringing of children to ensure the best interests of every child is also a priority for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The Swedish government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, has commissioned the Swedish Agency for Participation to organize a digital conference in December 2024 on support to children with disabilities.
The event is an activity within the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.