Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

Since 2012, Rytmus has offered a training course for parents with the aim of fostering constructive discussions with Ministries etc. and offering parents methodological help to empower and connect them. The Rytmus training course for parents was inspired by the educational program "Partners in policymaking," which originated in the USA in 1987 and that had a major influence on the development of the movement of parents and self-advocates for the rights of people with disabilities. The course provides families with information and practical experience that can be used to defend the rights of their children The course is supported by a grant from the Open Society Foundation.

Project object:

• - To inspire parents with stories of people who managed to push through changes
• - To provide the latest information on education and social services
• - To provide knowledge, practical skills and confidence to defend the rights of people with disabilities
• - To provide families with information and practical experience that can be used to defend the rights of their children
• - To encourage parents to be able to negotiate with the authorities, kindergartens and schools to provide services for their children or activities that they want to ensure for their children.

Methodology

The course program

The Rytmus training course for parents was inspired by the educational program "Partners in policymaking," which originated in the USA in 1987 and that had a major influence on the development of the movement of parents and self-advocates for the rights of people with disabilities. The program includes the following areas:

• - History of the perception of people with disabilities, the emergence and the development of services and the movement of parents, legislative support in the Czech Republic
• - Inclusive education - common education in mainstream schools, its benefits for children with disabilities, basic strategies for inclusion, the role of parents in the education process, the education of children with disabilities
• - Person-centered planning, basic tools and their use in everyday life
• - Community social services, coordination and funding support
• - Tools to facilitate communication
• - Parents and self-advocates as partners, coalition-building, presentation solutions for offices
•  

Organization of the course

• - Parents need to apply for the course describing the reasons for which they are applying to the course, and how they think to capitalize on the knowledge acquired in the future for the benefit of people with disabilities.
• - The course consists of 6 two-day meetings which take place on Saturdays and Sundays. Parents need to participate in all six meetings.
• - Participants get both printed and electronic materials.

Target

Parents of children with disabilities

Good practice innovations

Rytmus was aware that the voices of parents of children with disabilities are not heard, even if parents have many good ideas and experiences to share and are better able to defend the rights of their children and other people with disabilities. Some of the parents that already participated in the training course created after the course their own organization or movement with the support from Rytmus.

Good practice achievements

Rytmus offers this training course for parents since 2012 with the aim to foster constructive discussions with Ministries etc.. and to offer parents methodological help to empower and connect them.

Project partners and other stakeholders

Rytmus

Open Society Fund

Good practice testimonial

Extract of the article “Voices of parents of children with disabilities are heard” 28th First 2013, by Elizabeth Kolumpeková, Inkluze.cz

Karla Truskova and Dany Vachtlová participated in the training course for parents. Both agree that during the meeting with teachers and other parents they became aware of the fact that they and their children have the same rights as others. Karla Truskova, the mother of three children, the oldest daughter has Down syndrome and attends now first grade at an elementary school in Brno.  Karla Truskova is co-founder of the Club of the smallest, which is part of the civic association Smiles - The Association to help people with Down syndrome and their families. The youngest daughter of Dana Vachtlová, Elizabeth, has a mental disability. Ms. Vachtlová founded in November 2012 the civic association Give us a hand which helps families to integrate children with disabilities into society.

Can you give an example of what particular course helped you?

Karla Truskova: The course is primarily somehow strengthened my feelings in that direction that we are moving in different situations regarding my disabled daughter is correct. I found out that the Czech Republic ratified the UN CRPD  which should guarantee my child the same opportunities as other children.

Dana Vachtlová: Actually, I realized that what I want for my daughter, there is nothing extraordinary, it's just that what is right and do not doubt myself.

Paul Baxová said at the beginning of the course that the course is held in a way that parents of children with disabilities are heard afterwards. Do you think that this goal was achieved?

Karla Truskova: I think that parents gained a lot of useful information and guides on how to deal with difficult situations. Each of the participants had different areas where he needed support and everyone is now much more informed and equipped with the needed skills such as negotiations. From the fact that we all talked together, we got the feeling that we are not alone. We are very respectful to each other and are able to support each other. 

Dana Vachtlová: Definitely and we will be in regional television to present the issue of the lack of social services for families with children with disabilities.

http://www.inkluze.cz/clanek-502/hlasy-rodicu-deti-s-postizenim-jsou-slyset