Early childhood development
Help for families with young children
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The challenge
Sufficient attention has been paid to helping families with young children (early intervention services in outpatient clinics, medical rehabilitation centers, rehabilitation and remedial development training centers, etc.) in Belarus. The country has been improving the early integrated care and the early intervention system. However, developmental delays are usually identified late, after the baby turns two years.
At that, the period from birth to 3 years is one of the most important for child development. In the early years, the baby acquires skills that will be used throughout his/her life. The way the child plays, moves, learns, and communicates provides important clues to how well the child develops physically and emotionally. It is important for parents to carefully monitor the child and, if there is even the slightest concern, seek professional help.
Children grow, learn and develop rapidly in their first three years of life. While all children are unique and grow and learn at their own pace, some children need help. This extra help is called “early intervention”.
The solution
There are 34,954 children with disabilities in Belarus (as of 2020).
In 2017, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health started creating an effective early intervention system in Belarus to lower this figure.
Its paramount task is to early identify developmental disorders or risks of their occurrence in children aged 0 to 3 years. The sooner parents refer to the right practitioners capable to identify the challenge and offer solutions, the more likely it is to adjust the baby's condition.
Early Intervention Centers (EICs) have been established (at polyclinics and children's hospitals) under the auspices of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The EIC specialists can support parents if any developmental disorders are identified in the child.
Specialists will help:
- properly organize the developmental environment for the child;
- choose the right games and toys for the child;
- organize all care routines in such a way that they are not only safe for the baby, but also facilitate development of his/her skills and abilities;
- learn how to properly communicate with the child to stimulate his/her communication skills;
- cope with psycho-emotional stress in parents;
- organize developmental classes at the Early Intervention Center or at home.
Deliverables
Today there are 37 Centers in the country, and 5 of them are at orphanages. 20,398 children under three years of age have already been assisted by the EIC specialists.
In 4 years, Belarus has approved the needed regulatory documents, prepared a methodological and technical base, introduced new methods and norms for providing interdisciplinary assistance to families with children with developmental disorders or the risk of their occurrence.
