Early Intervention Conference in Odessa: New Initiatives

On April 23, 2025, an important conference on early intervention took place in Odessa. The event brought together local authorities, healthcare representatives, psychologists, and parents of children receiving this service.

City Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov opened the conference, emphasizing the significance of establishing a supportive system for children with special needs and their families.

«Early intervention is about collaboration with families. Professionals assist during challenging times and help organize daily routines. Our goal is for every child to be happy and have opportunities for self-realization. This is a crucial part of our efforts to create a barrier-free environment in our city», — noted Trukhanov.

Early intervention is a comprehensive service provided to families raising children with developmental disorders or at risk of such disorders.

This service allows for the timely identification of potential developmental issues in children and the creation of conditions for their correction.

Odessa was among the first cities to join the pilot project initiated by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine aimed at establishing an early intervention system. Currently, this service is included in the City Target Program «Barrier-Free Odessa».

The Department of Health of the City Council implements developmental screenings for children under three years old in all city pediatric clinics.

In 2024, screenings were conducted for 10,396 children, leading to the identification of developmental issues in 1,279 of them, with 512 children referred for early intervention.

Early intervention centers operate in four medical institutions. In 2024, 197 families were monitored by specialists, and all children showed positive development dynamics.

Last year, multidisciplinary teams conducted 1,713 interactions with families, including 349 home visits, 705 online meetings, and 659 outpatient visits.

Given the increasing demand, further expansion of the early intervention centers is planned for 2025, enabling assistance to 350 families.

For the first time in 2025, the «Barrier-Free Odessa» program will provide funding for early intervention team workers.

The program also includes educational activities for interdisciplinary team members, parents, and healthcare workers, as well as initiatives to raise public awareness about the availability of early intervention services in Odessa.