People's Deputy of Ukraine Volodymyr Bondar is initiating an event for International Children's Day aimed at drawing attention to the problems of children with disabilities and supporting the activities of relevant institutions that care for such children. For over two years, the city center for early social rehabilitation of children with disabilities has been operating in Lutsk. This specialized educational institution is not only a social shelter for children with physical and intellectual disabilities, but also a place where, in their free time from work, their parents have the opportunity, together with thirty-six highly qualified specialists, to take an active part in rehabilitation programs and, consequently, to become convinced that the adaptation of such a distinctive group of children to the surrounding world is essential. The birth of children with physical and, as a consequence, intellectual disabilities is a phenomenon that affects society regardless of the level of economic well-being. In Ukraine, children with disabilities too often remain without proper attention and care from the state. But a family with a child with certain developmental disabilities has the right to qualified assistance from the state, those at the city center for early social rehabilitation of children with disabilities are convinced. The center's practical experience convinces that psychological assistance and timely correction of children's psychophysical development solves at least two problems: preparing children at an early age for future normal life — obtaining general secondary education and professional activity — and convincing parents that their child will indeed have a dignified place in life. The center's director, Halyna Rymarchuk, says that with the 130 children who currently use the center's services, psychologists, social pedagogues, a pediatrician, specialists in alternative methods of communication and psychiatry, dance-movement therapy, music education, and others work according to exclusively individual programs. All the center's specialists annually attend courses at other specialized institutions where work with children with disabilities began much earlier, as they are convinced that the experience of colleagues from Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Lviv is entirely acceptable for Lutsk residents. It is also obvious that not only children with developmental disabilities need the help of a good psychologist, but also their parents, who at the city center have the opportunity to receive quality consultative assistance. Recently, the center's specialists have developed good relations with representatives of the Scandinavian Children's Mission. The city center for early social rehabilitation of children with disabilities meets all sanitary and hygienic requirements and implements rehabilitation programs for children with developmental disabilities, taking into account the age and physiological characteristics of its visitors. Here, for two years now, work has been successfully conducted with children who have delayed psycho-speech development, hearing impairments, and those ill with cerebral palsy. "It is worth not losing time, and helping a child will become your first victory over the bitter circumstances of fate," Halyna Rymarchuk is convinced. According to People's Deputy Volodymyr Bondar, a physical disability is not a reason to leave a child on the sidelines of life; regardless of the state of social protection, such children should be surrounded by the care and attention of all who have the ability to help them.
We sincerely call on everyone to join the event by making a feasible contribution to the account of the "Lad" Charitable Fund (EDRPOU code-26276975, account 260063726 at VOD APPB "Aval", MFO 303569)