Early Intervention
Early intervention for children 0 to 6 years old is the main toolkit for the integration and support of people with disabilities, from the beginning of their lives. Early intervention programs aim to create at an early stage a supportive environment for the families and their carers, so that people with disabilities can participate in society, integrate in education system, enter the open labour market, and enjoy the full range of their human rights.
With adequate support, parents and carers can provide the best, sustainable and affordable support to their children, to thrive and grow in a familiar environment.
It is important to ensure that early intervention services receive adequate funding and that the staff employed are well trained in the model of early childhood intervention.
An Early Intervention Program can provide:
- Kindergarten simulation group program with small ratio children/staff.
- Individual and group programs of psychoeducation, speech therapy and occupational therapy.
- Support and psychoeducation for parents to generalize the programmes at home.
- Early intervention in the community for preschool children and their families attending the municipal nurseries
The NET through its members participates in the committees set up by the competent ministry, promoting already successfully proven Early Intervention services and proposing institutional changes that contribute to the provision of better quality services that will have a direct impact on the lives of people with disabilities, their surroundings, professionals and, by extension, the society as a whole.
The members of the working team are the following:
Aggeliki Gena (Institute of Systemic Behavior Analysis – ISAS)
Antigoni Georgiadou (Panhellenic Association of Adapted Activities “ALMA”)
Mirella Giannakopoulou (“THEOTOKOS” Foundation)
Nikos Katsantonis (“PAMMAKARISTOS” Foundation for Child)
Lida Mamali (National Council of YMCAs)
Dimitra Basdeki (Institute of Systemic Behavior Analysis – ISAS)
Constantina Neofotistou (“SYZOI” – Parents’ Association of People with Vision Disorders & Additional Disabilities)
Katerina Papavasiliou (Organisation for the Protection of Persons with Autism–P.D.D. of the prefecture of Kastoria)
Agapi Papadaki (Amimoni)
Maria Pyrgeli (ELEPAP)
Vivi Sidirofagi (Child and Adolescent’s Center)
Ioanna Tsiouri (Association of Parents Guardians & Friends of People with Autism Larissa Prefecture – Greece)
