On August 22, 2017 in the conference hall ILF Communication Change Agency "Perspectives" facilitated round table discussion on development of healthcare and social services system for families with children with special needs in the Kharkiv region. This event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine, Healthcare and Social Protection departments of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, representatives of the Kharkiv Regional Council, Baby homes’ specialist from different regions of Ukraine and international experts.

Elena Reshetnyak and Mykhailo Dovgopol moderated the discussion. Tetyana Chernetska, the project coordinator, briefed the participants on the main aspects of the National Strategy on the Institutional Care Reform in 2017-2026 and the expected results of its implementation.

The participants discussed the current situation and the subsequent action plan for the National Strategy implementation. During this discussion the issues of professional training of specialists working with children with special needs and the creation of multidisciplinary teams were raised. Also the possibility of non-governmental organizations involvement in social services provision to children and their families at the request of communities was considered.

Foreign experts shared their experience in providing services to families with children with special needs and presented the project of the European Commission “Support to Ukrainian administration in developing a legal and administrative set up to introduce a system of early intervention and rehabilitation for children with disability or having a risk of disability”.

The round table was run under the Project “Creating a new model of family-and-community oriented services for children with special needs” supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).