Global individual support for young children (age 0 to 7) in an inclusive environment

Introduction: All children, with or without a (presumed) disability, deserve the opportunity to grow, play, and learn alongside their peers. However, transitions can present challenges for children with disabilities. Therefore, it is crucial to empower children, parents, schools, and childcare providers. We collaborate with childcare facilities, schools, and welfare organisations to promote inclusivity from the start. It is our expectation that the support provided to individual children will broaden the perspectives of workers and educators, leading to a more inclusive approach and the development of skills in working with children with special needs in the future. Method: In Flanders (the northern part of Belgium), we are responding to these challenges through global individual support (GIO) for young children. GIO is accessible and quickly deployable assistance in childcare and schools. The support takes place in childcare, preschool or first year of primary school. It is a mixture of stimulation, coaching, training and assistance with activities. Our staff, equipped with disability-specific knowledge, collaborates with childcare workers and schoolteachers to establish a more inclusive environment from a very young age. Key components include early intervention, active engagement of both parents and the child in guiding the support process, collaborative efforts in exploring, attempting, and seeking solutions or pathways for enhanced inclusion, and empowering children, parents, childcare providers, and (pre)schools. This approach embodies integrated care, leveraging the strengths of the child, parents, childcare providers, schools, and disability-specific support, with a particular focus on transitions (e.g., from home to childcare, from childcare to preschool, and from preschool to the first year of primary school). We do not impose any fees for providing global individual support to parents. Results: A survey taught us how parents experience the global individual support for young children. Parents strongly endorse the principle that Global Individual Support begins with the idea of inclusion and focuses on the capabilities/strengths of their child. They perceive a sense of guidance, active involvement and participation. In 2022, a total of 1079 children received global individual support (66.1% in preschool education, 21.5% in the first grade, 12.4% in baby and toddler programs ). In 52% of cases, support was completed within 4 months. Disability-specific knowledge workers spend an average of 1-3 hours per session in the inclusive environment. Various stakeholders emphasise the added value of collaboration and modelling in an inclusive context. The challenge lies in alignment with the diverse actors involved. Global individual support for young children in Flanders is currently being evaluated. In this presentation we will discuss the key insights and recommendations of this evaluation, from both policy and practice perspectives. Bart Vanvaerenbergh - director, Home Guidance Kadodder Anne Buelens - policy maker, Flemish Agency for People with Disabilities (VAPH)