Children and families in Edineț will have access to integrated services, with support from UNICEF

Chișinău, 10 October 2025 – UNICEF, the Edineț District Council, the National Institute for Early Childhood Intervention “Voinicel”, and the “Step by Step” Educational Programme, with financial support from the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the United States through the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), are expanding integrated services for children in Edineț district.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding signed yesterday, a family-centered early intervention model will be piloted in the district, based on collaboration between the health, education, and social protection sectors. The project provides for the establishment of an Early Intervention Centre, 35 Resource Centres in district kindergartens, and the creation of transdisciplinary teams to support children with developmental delays, disabilities, or at risk. The Resource Centres will apply innovative, child-centered educational methods such as learning through play, social-emotional learning, and interactive reading that address the holistic needs of all children.

„These are not just services. They are threads of hope. When teams of doctors, teachers, psychologists, social workers, and early intervention specialists work side by side — we are no longer offering families scattered pieces of support. Instead, we are weaving those threads into one strong tapestry of a child’s life - held and valued as part of the community”, said Maha Damaj, UNICEF Country Representative in Moldova.

“For us, this partnership means bringing closer the services that families and children need. It is an important step toward inclusion and toward building a stronger community for every child”, emphasized Nicolae Melnic, President of the Edineț District Council.

Throughout 2025–2026, at least 250 children and their families will receive support through monitoring, psychosocial assistance, and parental counselling services.

This collaboration aligns with the Development Programme for Inclusive Education in the Republic of Moldova for 2024–2027 and its Action Plan approved by the Government. The programme aims to create inclusive educational environments at all levels of education, to develop multidisciplinary support services, and to expand access to quality education for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

To date, 16 Early Intervention Centres have been established in the Republic of Moldova, offering support to children and their families. Approximately 1,700 children with special educational needs are enrolled in Moldovan kindergartens.

Moreover, over 32,000 preschool children already benefit from innovative approaches in child-centered pedagogy such as learning through play, socio-emotional development, and interactive reading, through 150 resource centres launched in kindergartens across the country in October 2024 by UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova.