ChildIN calls on policy-makers to foster inclusion of autistic children through learning provisions for childminders
Currently available competence frameworks for childminders do not include specific modules dedicated to learning for children with special needs, these aspects are only superficially addressed in general training modules. Some brief ad hoc lifelong learning modules are available for some of the most common disabilities. These are largely inadequate to address the need of skilled caretakers of families who have children on the autism spectrum. In this context, the ChildIN project aims at addressing this gap and providing specific blended training for childminders focusing on autism.
The lack of specific learning on autism for professionals was addressed by the ChildIN pilot training, and childminders who benefited from it reported high satisfaction rates in Poland, Portugal and France.
Key recommendations
Ensure appropriate training, continuing professional development and support for childminders
Support the acquisition of competences related to the care of children on the autism spectrum for effective inclusion
Harmonise and recognise childminding across Europe and strive for a common curriculum
Watch the on-demand webinar “The importance of VET for inclusion”
Following its campaign on access to employment and education “I can LEARN. I can WORK” to mark World Autism Awareness Day (2 April), Autism-Europe hosted the free on-demand webinar: “The importance of quality Vocational Education and Training for inclusion: the success story of the Erasmus+ project ChildIN”. The 2-hour webinar took place on April 21, 2021, and an on demand version is available after until the 19th of May.
Autistic people and their families, professionals, associations, policy-maker and other interested parties are invited to take part on this collaborative event about EU Vocational Education and Training (VET) policies and good practices for fostering inclusion of autistic people. The Erasmus+ project ChildIN, of which Autism-Europe is partner, will be presented in detail as a success story.
In the first part of the event, a selected panel of speakers representing the disability communities and child (rights/care) and family representatives, as well as other relevant policymakers’ stakeholders in the field of VET, from regional, national, and European level will take the floor:
The second part of the event will be exclusively devoted to present the outcomes and the policy recommendations of the Erasmus+ project ChildIN (Training childminders across Europe for inclusion), with partner organisations from France, Portugal, and Poland.
Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová Chair of European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
Quality VET as a driver for inclusion and employment: key EU policies and projects in the field.
Overview of EU policies related to inclusion and VET
Camille Roux Disability, Education, Social exclusion policy and advocacy officer at COFACE Families
Families and disabilities at stake: what solutions can be expected from the European Disability Rights Strategy and the European Pillar of Social Rights?
Zuzsanna Konradova Coordinator of Alternative Childcare policies at Eurochild.
The Child Guarantee as a precedent for the policy framework adopted by the Child Rights initiative: promising results and challenges ahead.
Marie-Béatrice Levaux President of the European Federation for Family Employment and Homecare (EFFE)
Home employment: a tailored answer for families and children’ needs promoting fair working and employment conditions.
Ilana Cicurel Member of the European Parliament
The future of education and VET: the Erasmus+ programme takes its inclusive dimension to a new horizon.
The Erasmus+ project ChildIN, a success story
Nadège Turco Executive Director of IPERIA
Transforming VET policies into professionalisation and social inclusion tools: the origin and the future of ChildIN project.
Gloria Ortiz Project coordinator of IPERIA
The ChildIN project in a nutshell
Alain Lassus President of the French Department of La Nièvre Rui Pena, President of Cooperativa Comenius, Portugal Elsa Vieira, Director of the Portuguese Association for Developmental Disorders and Autism of Coimbra (APPDA Coimbra) Beata Traczewska-Skóra Director of EU funds at Techpal, Poland
The ChildIN experience across countries, impact and way forward.
Aurélie Baranger Director of Autism-Europe
ChildIN Recommendations for policy-makers
Closing statement
Radka Maxová Member of the European Parliament
The inclusive dimension of the European Skills Agenda: leave no-one behind.
Aurélie Baranger Director of Autism-Europe
Concluding remarks
END of the webinar
If you wish to address questions and comments to the panelist, please send us an email via: communication@autismeurope.org
On 21 April, 2021, Autism-Europe will host the final event of the ChildIN project online in the format of a free on-demand webinar. The webinar will focus on EU Vocational Education and Training (VET) policies and good practices for fostering inclusion of autistic people. The project will be presented in detail as a success story.
On-demand webinar | 21 April 2021 | 10-12h CET
In the first part of the event, a selected panel of speakers representing the disability communities and child (rights/care) and family representatives, as well as other relevant policymakers’ stakeholders in the field of VET, from regional, national, and European level will take the floor:
Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová – Chair of European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).
Ilana Cicurel – Member of the European Parliament
Marie-Béatrice Levaux – European Federation for Family Employment and Homecare (EFFE)
Camille Roux – COFACE Families Europe
Zuzsanna Konradova – Eurochild
The second part of the event will be exclusively devoted to present the outcomes and the policy recommendations of the Erasmus+ project ChildIN (Training childminders across Europe for inclusion), with partner organisations from France, Portugal, and Poland.
Radka Maxová – Member of the European Parliament
Alain Lassus – President of the French Department of La Nièvre, France
On World Autism Awareness Day (April 2), partners of the CHildIN project participated in the second stage of Autism-Europe’s awareness raising campaign, “I can learn. I can work”. The campaign aims to inform and raise awareness on access to education and employment for people on the autism spectrum, even during the pandemic and its containment measures.
ChildIN partners shared pictures of themselves performing the campaign “holding a tool” gesture as a way of showing the diversity of ability that society can nurture to be more inclusive. In line with the objectives of the ChildIN project, the campaign recognizes the importance of providing training on autism and supporting the effective inclusion of autistic people.
It is estimated that 5 million people are on the autism spectrum in the European Union. Most autistic people experience widespread discrimination in many areas of life including in employment and education. The campaign aims to promote access to inclusive education and employment opportunities for people on the autism spectrum through the EU. During the second stage of the campaign in 2021, specific COVID-19 related topics including distance education, reasonable accommodation, mental health and pandemic related challenges are being addressed too.
The release of the European Disability Strategy for 2021-2030 and the Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, as well as the announcement of the Child Guarantee mark the first months of 2021. These developments to support the rights of people with disabilities in the European Union will set the pace for our campaign actions, as access to education and employment for autistic people have a strong presence within these instruments.
Autism-Europe called on people to join the campaign and to help highlight the diversity of ability that society can nurture to be more inclusive. Even though World Autism Awareness Day has passed, you can still support the campaign!
How can I support?
People willing to support the campaign can post pictures of themselves on social media using the hashtag #AutismDay2021. They can either hold a tool that represents one of their skills (it can be linked either with their ability to learn, or their ability to work on a specific field) or hold the campaign visual.
In late March 2021, AE hosted a webinar on the theme “I can LEARN. I can WORK.” The European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli and Members of the European Parliament Katrin Langensiepen and Chiara Gemma provided insight into the rights and needs of people with disabilities across Europe in terms of education and employment. Autistic people and their families, autism organisations, professionals, employers, EU policy-makers and the general population took also part of this collaborative online event.
The webinar is available to watch on demand anytime. Click here for more information on the event.
From the 9th of October to the 10th December, 16 participants attended the ChildIN pilot training sessions in Poland. The objective of the trainings is to prepare trainers for testing the “Training Kit” developed in the framework of the ChildIN project and designed to improve care and inclusion of autistic children.
The first three training modules were taught during face to face sessions in Poland while the last two, the fourth and the fifth modules, were conducted online via Zoom. The training sessions were moved online due to the spread of COVID-19.
The training was conducted by three coaches and included participants included from various groups including orphanage workers, social workers, parents of autistic children and students who want to work as childminders of autistic children.
Both participants and trainers were very satisfied with the training and the way the course was conducted. They found the course contents to be useful and they feel more confident in their ability to improve the inclusion of autistic children.
Now that 2020 is coming to its end and that we are thinking about new years’ resolutions, inclusion can be a very good resolution to keep in mind for 2021.
Inclusion has been at the heart of ChildIN since the beginning of the project in 2018, with a focus on autistic children and their families. Two years later, the pandemic has made our daily lives more complicated, and especially those of the autistic community. Confinement, masks, hygiene protocols, social distancing… all these have created new barriers.
This is why inclusion can be a good resolution because it is about embracing everybody, without distinction. It is about having a place for everybody and being supportive and respectful of each others differences. We all need more than ever to be part of an inclusive community and to make sure that nobody is left out within the “new normal”.
On 3 October 2020, 11 trainers from France, Poland and Portugal attended a meeting to kick off the second round of virtual pilot trainings on autism and inclusive childminding. These trainings, moderated by the Cooperativa Comenius in Porto, follow the first round of pilot trainings which took place in the spring of 2020 and will be ongoing until the end of November.
The objective of the trainings is to prepare trainers for testing the “Training Kit” developed in the framework of the ChildIN project. The Training kit is based on learning materials developed for childminders and other Vocational and Educational Training (VET) players across Europe and is designed to improve caring and the inclusion of autistic children.
At the meeting, the learning materials for the Training Kit were reviewed and trainers had the opportunity to express their suggestions for developing the kit further. The next steps of the production of the Training Kit were discussed and the trainers expressed their enthusiasm for the project and the testing phase.
Over the course of the training, trainers will complete a total of 50 hours, of which 20 hours will be online, including videoconferences, and 30 hours of self-study with the materials available on the ChildIN online platform.
At this time, pilot trainings are also taking place in Poland.
As additional support for childminders, Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers and families, the ChildIN project makes available a free online database of resources on autism including reasoned description, assessed on the basis of their value in terms of learning quality, safety (this applies particularly to online games for autistic children), scientific soundness and community inclusion. These three dimensions has been assessed on the basis of a matrix designed jointly by the ChildIN partnership, that possesses high competences in all explored areas.
To date, the database counts with more than 200 resources in English, French, Polish and Portuguese, classified in the following main categories:
-Autism specificities
-Selected issues related to autism
-Education
-Care
-Others (like sexuality, self-awareness or family)
The database is also intended as a tool to ensure also sustainability and easy updating of the ChildIN training content after the project ending: as methods and techniques, but particularly game-based provisions, change over time, this tool will allow to find updated resources at any time, according to the needs. The database will be updated until the end of the project (April 2021).
The database is accessible on the project dedicated website:
Postponed from May to October 2020, the fourth transnational meeting of the ChildIN project was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting, which should have taken place in Nevers hosted by the Conseil départemental de la Nièvre, was attended by 13 partners from France, Belgium, Poland and Portugal.
As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a 6-months extension was requested to the Erasmus+ National Agency in order to have enough time to implement all the ongoing and pending activities. More concretely, since the pandemic was declared just before the planned start of the training delivery, several options were and are being implemented to replace when necessary blended training, mainly 100% distance learning, including both tele-learning with trainers and online learning at the Moodle platform.
This two-day meeting includes discussions on the latest developments of the different project outputs (the database of resources, the training modules, the practical guide for training providers, and the policy brief). In addition, partners held some sessions about different transversal activities and internal deliverables of the project, such as evaluation and quality, dissemination and exploitation, or sustainability.
As the steps of the project, Poland will run pilot training sessions of ChildIN from the beginning in October and November 2020. On the same dates, Portugal will hold the second round of pilot training sessions.
This was the fourth of the foreseen five transnational meetings over the two-year lifespan of the project. The project partnership will meet again online at the beginning of November 2020. The final transnational project meeting and the final conference planned in Brussels have been also postponed from October 2020 to early 2021. In case the evolution of the pandemic worsens, the partners will call again on their resilience and also their imagination in order to propose a relevant and interesting format for those events and meet thus the project objectives at best possible.
Nobody imagined early this year that a worldwide pandemic will turn upside down our daily routines. Several months have passed now and ChildIN partners have widely demonstrated resilience and commitment to continue with the project activities despite all. Monthly online meetings were already usual, but they enabled more than ever to be in contact and to discuss the best solution for each partner.
First of all, a 6-months extension was requested in order to have enough time to implement all the ongoing and pending activities. More concretely, since the pandemic was declared just before the planned start of the training delivery, several options were and are being implemented to replace when necessary blended training, mainly 100% distance learning, including both tele-learning with trainers and online learning at the Moodle platform.
Besides the training delivery, a face-to-face meeting was planned in June in Nevers (France), then postponed to October, and lastly transformed into an online meeting.
Last but not least, the final meeting and the final conference planned in Brussels have been also postponed from October 2020 to early 2021. In case the evolution of the pandemic worsens, the partners will call again on their resilience and also their imagination in order to propose a relevant and interesting format for those events and meet thus the project objectives at best possible.
