Press releases

MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) - Experts from 15 states will gather in Minsk on 5-6 June to discuss the development of the system of early intervention for children with disabilities at the regional conference of the countries of Europe and Central Asia, BelTA learned from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Office in Belarus.

“The first three years in the life of every child are the most important. If you detect a delay in development or a disability in the first 1,000 days of life, you can significantly reduce the negative effects. At the conference in Minsk experts from different countries will discuss the mechanisms for early identification and intervention for children with developmental problems so that they would not separated from their parents and families and not placed in children's institutions, get receive support at pre-school and transitional stages, at all levels of education,” the organizers noted.

Experts from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Croatia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Portugal, Brazil and other countries will share their experiences and best practices, will present the modern systems for alternative communication.

According to statistics, as of 1 May 2018 there were about 31,500 children with special needs in Belarus. Such children account for about 48% of pupils of residential schools.

The conference has been organized by the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus, the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, with the support of the government of the Russian Federation.