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

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
• 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 Kateryna Novokhatnia, First Deputy 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 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 Marianna Onufryk, Head of NGO “Family for Persons with Disabilities” and NGO “Social Synergy”, Ukrainian Child’s Rights Network

10:30-10:45 Break

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

11:45-12:30 Break

12:30-13:50 Thematic session 2: Early interventions, inclusive service provision and specialized support to families and children with disabilities

• Closing down institutions for small children in Czech Republic through strengthening family support with Petra Kacirkova, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Czech Republic
• Providing specialized services to families and children in Lviv, Ukraine with Zoreslava Lyulchak, Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv region, Ukraine.
• 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
• 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

Panel discussion:

• Ingrid Thunem, Disabled Youth Norway
• Maria Möllergren, Swedish Board of Health and Welfare

13:50-14:05 Break

14:05-15:35 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
• Inclusive policy-making that has led to inclusive education in Laloveni in Moldova with Flore Rossi and Viorica Dumbraveanu, UNICEF country office in Moldova
• Digital universe makes it easy for teachers to include students with special needs in movement activities with Karla Borup Jonsen, 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:

• Yevheniia Smirnova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine (TBC)
• Kristina Dudonyte, Association of Independent Living and the L'Arche Kaunas Community, Lithuania
• Malin Ekman Aldén, Director General of the Swedish Agency for Participation

15:35-16:00 Closing session

• Tuomas Tuure, Abilis foundation
• Åsa Johansson, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden
• Iryna Postolovska, Deputy Minister of Social Policy for European Integration
• Tea Hoffrén, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland