A project to the value of €680,000, financed by the EU, will facilitate access to community support and education services for children with special needs during the first years of life. The project will be implemented during 2016-2018 in five districts of the country. In the launch event, there was signed a memorandum of understanding to support the implementation of the project between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family and the public association “Partnerships for each child”, IPN reports.

According to a press release of the public association, the general objective of the project is to ensure the access of the children with special needs aged between 0 and 7 and of their families to support programs that will be aimed at strengthening the capacities of parents and professionals.

Deputy Minister of Education Elena Cernei said that by this project they aim to support a very important and sensitive segment of education and of society in general, such as inclusive education, in particular of children with special educational needs.  

Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Stela Grigoras said the authorities realize how important the support is during the first years of life so that the children benefit from a safe and healthy start in life. “For the purpose, the family must be offered the necessary support at the right moment, by ensuring access to services to develop the parent abilities and to get assistance in raising children with special needs,” she stated.

In his speech, Wicher Slagter, charge d’affaires of the EU Delegation to Moldova, said the children’s rights are an important area in the relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. That’s why the EU supports programs to ensure the rights of the children who remain one of the most vulnerable categories in the Republic of Moldova.

“Partnerships for each child” director Daniela Mamaliga voiced hope that when this project is completed, the Moldovan families with children with special needs aged between 0 and 7 will be supported by the competent players and institutions and will have access to education of a high quality and to assistance.