Áåëîðóññêèé äåòñêèé õîñïèñ

June 7^th, 2010 a round table discussion on the issue "present situation and prospects of development of the service "social institution "in Belarus was held in the Belarusian Children's Hospice.

Representatives of the government agencies and public organizations, that provide medical and social services for children with disabilities and their families, were attended to participate in the round table discussion.

 The next events were on the agenda:

• 1. Presentation of the project «Development of a system to provide support services for children with disabilities and their families.» Gorchakov A. G.
• 2. Presentation of the service «social hospitalization» of the PCO «BCH» Baidakova I. V.
• 3. Experience exchange between government institutions and public organizations that provide assistance to children with disabilities and their families.
• 4. Discussion on development strategy of the service «social hospitalization» on the basis of government institutions and private organizations providing medical and social services for children with disabilities and their families.

The round table is a part of the project «Development of a system to provide support services for handicapped children and their families» with the support of the International Children's Fund in the Republic of Belarus.

The round table discussion was attended by 15 people — representatives of the public organizations, and government organizations and institutions. Issues that were raised at the meeting were to all organizations involved in helping handicapped children. Among the main issues are creation of an information base of the people with disabilities and of the organizations, which can go for help, and the lack of specialists (for example, logopedists) in the Belarusian regions, and also the establishment of day-stay groups for children with disabilities: daycare centers, kindergartens at crisis centers, the establishment of the stationary clock stays for young disabled people, etc.

According to the results of the round table discussion the following conclusions were made: Despite of the fact that currently the Government pays a great attention to helping people with disabilities and their families, and the progress in solving problems addressing children with disabilities (the work of correctional and regional centers, orphanages for handicapped children and adults with disabilities, provision of medical treatment, etc.), development of the service «social hospitalization» for different age groups of children and people with disabilities is an acute problem, because only through this service, parents can relax, solve their health problems, which contributes to the health psychological climate in the family.

There were identified issues that concern both representatives of public organizations and government institutions, namely:
— The need to create not only a common base of people with disabilities with various ailments, but also organizations that provide various types of assistance

-The establishment of a family support service (patronage) from birth to adulthood
— Lack of specialists in various diseases
— Development of the institute of nurses and personal assistants for people with disabilities
— Issues of employment of people with disabilities
But the most important issues that concern all participants are:
— Creating as a day and stay around the clock groups for 0 — 3 years-old handicapped children — a nursery for children with special ailments
— Development of the service «social hospitalization» for people with disabilities from 3 to 24
— «Social hospitalization» as a service for people with disabilities under 35 years old (singles) in moments of acute illness — crisis center

In the end of the discussion of these issues there has been worked out a resolution consisting of three items:

• 1. To create an expert group from among the heads of public organizations and government agencies (5), among them — representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, Director of the PCO "Belarusian Children Hospice, chairman of «BelAPDI and MI», to promote the service «social hospitalization» in the Belarusian society
• 2. In the course of the project within 12 months must pass 5 meetings of experts to discuss the strategy for advocacy of the service «social hospitalization», the conditions of the development of this service based on the organizations of different ownership forms, drafting of regulations to promote the service and logistics equipment.
• 3. To appoint the first meeting of experts on 28^th June 2010 to discuss strategies for advocacy the service «social hospitalization».

Everyone identified the round table discussion as very productive. It was worked out a strategy for further cooperation of participants in the field of promotion of the social service.