A barrier free future for every child

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

The event was organised online on the 5th of December 2024. The target groups are 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.

Below you find the programme and recordings of each session.

International signs 

You can find the complete event translated to international sign language further down on this page.

Український переклад  

Ви можете знайти повну подію з перекладом на українську далі на цій сторінці.

Programme and video recordings of the event

09:00-09:35 Opening of the conference

Opening remarks:

• Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister of Social Services in Sweden
• Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy in Ukraine
• Karen Elleman, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers
• Munir Mammadzade, Country representative UNICEF Ukraine

09:35-10:35 The situation and initiatives for inclusion and family-based care in Ukraine today

• The Better Care reform and the importance of its success with Kateryna Novokhatnia, First Deputy Head of  The Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development 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 Dmytro Yakym, Chief Advisor to the Head of 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 with Marianna Onufryk, Head of NGO “Social Synergy”

10:35-10:50 Break

10:50-11:50 From institutions to individual- family- and community based support

• European cooperation on needs based social service provision with Olga Martinez de Briones,   Policy Officer Unit D3 Disability and Inclusion, Directorate General of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
• Inclusion of and personalized support for children with disabilities in Estonia with Brit Tammiste, Head of Policy for Child Welfare Services, Ministry of Social Affairs, Estonia
• The impact of CRPD on disability policy in Finland with Tea Hoffrén, Senior Specialist, 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

11.50-12.35 Break

12:35-14:00 Policy, practice and concrete examples in the social sector that aims to inclusion in society

• Closing down institutions for small children in Czech Republic through strengthening family support with Petra Kačírková, Head of Department of Family Policy, Child Protection and Social Integration, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Czech Republic
• Early needs assessment according to the best interest of the child in inclusive mainstream service and family centers in Sweden with Karin Flyckt, Senior adviser and coordinator of disability issues, Swedish Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden
• Providing specialized services to families and children in Lviv, Ukraine with Zoreslava Lyulchak, Director, Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv region, Ukraine
• Strengthen communication and reduce risk of sibling’s psychological difficulties in Norway with Torun Vatne, Doctor of Psychology, Frambu Competence Center for Rare Diagnoses and the University of Oslo, Department of Psychology, Norway

Panel discussion:

• Kateryna Novokhatnia, First Deputy Head of The Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development in Ukraine
• Ingrid Thunem, Chair person, Disabled Youth Norway
• Maria Möllergren, Programme Officer at the Office of the General Director, Swedish Board of Health and Welfare

14:00-14:15 Break

14:15-15:35 Policy, practice and concrete examples for inclusive education that aims towards inclusion in society

• Most important aspects of inclusive education and an overview of best practice with Elisabeth Högberg, Board Member, European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education

• Inclusive policy-making that has led to inclusive education in Moldova with Flore Rossi, Child Protection Specialist and Galina Bulat, Education Program Coordinator at UNICEF Moldova

• Digital universe makes it easy for teachers to include students with special needs in movement activities with Karla Borup Jonsen, Consultant, Danish Knowledge Centre on Disability

• Inclusive education, individual support and education for pupils with intellectual disabilities in Sweden with Jonas Monsén, Director of Education, Swedish National Agency for Education

Panel Discussion:

• Kristina Dūdonytė, Board Member, Association of Independent Living and the L'Arche Kaunas Community, Lithuania
• Malin Ekman Aldén, Director General of the Swedish Agency for Participation
• Jean Choi, Child Protection Section Chief, UNICEF Ukraine

15:35-16:00 Closing session

• Tuomas Tuure, Advocacy Officer, Abilis foundation, Finland
• Iryna Postolovska, Deputy Minister of Social Policy for European Integration, Ukraine
• Åsa Johansson, Head of the Division for European and International Affairs, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden
• Tea Hoffrén, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland

Complete conference

The complete event in international sign language will be published soon.