Disadvantaged children of preschool age can attend early childhood community development centers

The children aged between 3 and 7 who do not attend preschool institutions, the children with special education needs and those from deprived families can benefit from the services of the Early Childhood Development Centers for children aged between 3 and (6)7 set up in the community. If such centers exist, the parents can file applications asking that their children be admitted to them, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the regulations concerning the organization and running of the Early Childhood Development Center, which came into force last week. Under the regulations, the Early Childhood Development Center for children aged between 3 and (6) 7 can be founded on the basis of the decision of the Council of a territorial-administrative unit, depending on the number of children in the community and their capacity. One of the objectives of the given centers is to prevent the institutionalization of children from deprived families. The centers will have a regular program for working with the children and their families. The children will benefit from educational services of a high quality, while the parents – from consultancy in creating a favorable child development environment. Besides, the centers will include playing rooms, kitchen, bathroom, etc. According to the regulations, the parents should submit the application, the child's birth certificate, a medical certificate issued by the family doctor and a certificate about the contagious diseases suffered by the child. The services will be provided by teachers, doctors, social workers, psychologists, logopedists and defectologists. The centers will be financed from the budgets of the territorial-administrative units, from special funds and other legal sources. The regulations form part of the national development strategy “Education for All” for 2008-2011 and aim to increase the number of children aged between 3 and (6) 7 covered by preschool education programs and to efficiently organize the preschool education process.