Dutch experts will continue reforming the services for people with special needs in Transcarpathia

Representatives of the "Soft Tulip" Foundation (the Netherlands) Eric Bloemkolk – the Director of the Foundation, Eric Gunkamp – Professor of Psychiatry, and Paul de Bot – board member of the organization, have visited Transcarpathia.

The Dutch experts met with officials of the Regional State Administration and the management of the Department of Social Welfare and outlined further areas of work.

 During the visit to Transcarpathia, the representatives of the "Soft Tulip" Foundation also held a round-table meeting with specialists of the boarding schools of the region, during which they discussed the areas of further work for the next 4-5 years.

"One of the important aspects of work in Ukraine today is the strengthening of the parents’ potential, the development of early intervention services – a comprehensive assistance to families with children having health and development impairments. The "Soft Tulip" supports examples of best practices of non-governmental organizations in Uzhgorod, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odesa, where early intervention services are provided", – the director of the foundation Eric Bloemkolk said. 

Eric Bloemkolk, who has repeatedly visited Transcarpathia, stressed that since 2008, systematic measures to prevent institutionalisation of children have been taken in our region. The priority is to bring up such children in families. To this end, the early intervention system was launched in order to detect problems in children at birth.

To note.

The Dutch public organization "Soft Tulip" consists of seven Institutions that provide services to people with disabilities, including children, people with mental illnesses and the elderly people. The foundation has about 8,000 employees, who provide services to clients.  Their goal is to improve the quality of life and services for people with special needs. The organization has been working in Ukraine for more than ten years, supporting the reform of services in institutions for children with disabilities, seniors and people with mental problems of all ages.