Greece's Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, has issued a call to include the "Early Childhood Intervention" project in the NSRF's "Human Resources and Social Cohesion 2021-2027" programme. The total public expenditure for the initiative comes to 49,980,000 euros.
The project is a comprehensive intervention scheme for children aged 0 to 6 with disabilities, developmental delays, disorders or an increased risk of developing them, including autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, hearing and/or vision impairment, speech and/or language disorders, and motor difficulties. It includes specialised and individualised services.
Goals of the intervention
The aim is to build a framework of preventive screenings and therapies that follows a family-centred model of intervention, designed jointly with the family, to improve the child's overall development.
Services will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team based on the individual needs of the family and child, primarily in the child's natural environment, and at a specialised provider location when required, always with the active involvement of parents or caregivers.
What the services include
The services follow the daily routine of the child and family and include, among other things, drawing up an individualised Early Childhood Intervention programme designed jointly with the family, providing specialised therapies such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, counselling support and psychosocial empowerment for parents or caregivers, training in assistive technology, sign language and mobility, and links to other supportive and educational services.
Continuing from the pilot phase
The new call ensures the continuity of the intervention following its pilot implementation, which was funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and supports its transition to the next stage of implementation, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
The Hellenic Company for Local Development and Local Government has been designated as the body responsible for implementing and managing the intervention. All of the services will be provided through a voucher system.
