2011 – the beginning of activity of the INGO ‘Child with the future’.
In conditions of acute shortage of information, ignorance of society and
unprepared professional environment to attract people’s attention to the problem of autism in Ukraine was the first aim.
We held a series of public actions. In autumn 2011 INGO held its first round table ‘There is autism in Ukraine’ where the problem of autism were presented in a comprehensive and accessible way to the media and the public at first.
In 2011, INGO began publishing a monthly e-journal ‘Autism Today’, which is still being published. In July 2020 we issued its 100 anniversary number.
April 2, 2012, on the International Day of Informing about the Problem of
autism INGO “Child with a future” together with the Association of Parents of Children with autism organized an ‘Mom, I’m not a schizophrenic. I’m autistic!’ action.
The same day a round table was held at the Ministry of Health, where diagnosis, treatment and social adaptation of children with autism issues in Ukraine were discussed on our request.
It was the first official informing on the situation with autism in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Health, from 2006 to 2011 cases of autism spectrum disorders for children in Ukraine has increased 2.8 times. As of 2011, – 1,804 children diagnosed with autism in Ukraine. An official letter from the MOH to the regional administrations became a result of that action, – the MOH indicated that the practice of being diagnosed with ‘Schizophrenia’ is false and does not meet international standards.
Spring 2012, the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ became a member of the ‘Autism
Europe’ Association. The first presentation took place in Istanbul (May 2012) at the General Assembly of the Association.
Founder of the INGO Inna Sergiyenko presented a report on the situation with autism in Ukraine. In 2013, at the initiative of the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ with the support of the
deputies and the Plenipotentiary of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights
a working group on autism was set up in the Administration of the President of Ukraine for the first time. The group was involved in a mechanism developing to provide assistance in the educational system for children with autism from 6 months to 18 years.
On April 2, 2013, the INGO organized an action ‘Autistic people should study at school’:
parents of children with autism and INGOs representatives went to the Ministry of Education requiring to give children the opportunity to study at school. As a result, soon the school doors was opened for children with mental disorders.
June 14, 2013 in Prague at the conference ‘Let’s cope together’ Inna Sergiyenko presented a report ‘Two years of advocacy – the results.’
Summer 2013, – an extensive work on preparation and comments collection on the draft law on preschool education carried out, it was immediately transferred to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Same year, together with the Ukrainian Medical Mission the first autism manual for the pediatricians in regions of Ukraine presented and started distributing.
In September 2013, Budapest hosted the 10th International Congress ‘Autism-Europe’. During the congress, experts from around the world shared practical and
scientific knowledge about autism to help patients and their families to improve their quality of life. Inna Sergiyenko, ‘Autism-Europe’ Consul and INGO ‘Child with a Future’ founder made a report on the situation with termination of the practice of changing the diagnosis from autism to schizophrenia in Ukraine for those aged 18+.
In December 2013, in European Parliament (Brussels) Inna Sergiyenko made a report on the situation with autism in Ukraine. А joint meeting of the Autism Europe and the European Disability Forum with the members of the European Parliament participation considered the best European practices of helping people with autism.
Starting from 2014, on April, 2 at the initiative of INGO and in partnership with government officials Kyiv joined the world tradition of lightening buildings and national structures with blue and gold on International Day of Informing about the Problem of autism. Since then The Independence Stele on Independence Square, The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kyiv city state administration on Khreshchatyk and others shone every year. Subsequently, this bright, important and beautiful tradition has been picked up by other organizations and regions in Ukraine.
In 2014, we issued a ‘Peace Note’ to the UN, addressing it to the wife of UN Secretary-General Ms. Yu (Pak) Sun Dek with a request to assist in the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. ‘Note’ signed with drawings by children with autism from all over Ukraine. Mrs. Yu (Pak)
Sun Dek was deeply touched by the message of special children of Ukraine and their creativity: “I see the unique souls of children through the colors and shapes in their works. I am happy to receive such a precious gift’’ – she replied to Inna Sergiyenko. She is on her own and on behalf of her husband expressed hope for peace in Ukraine, emphasizing that she prays for peace for every Ukrainian.
In May 2014, the Autism Europe Association General Assembly was held in Luxembourg. Training seminars, discussions, on access of people with autism to education and employment among them. Inna Sergiyenko made a report on the situation on this issue in Ukraine.
In 2014, Inna Sergiyenko became the winner of the prestigious international award INAP 2014 (Naturally Autistic People Awards) in the Community Mentor nomination. For the first time, the representative of Ukraine received such an honorary award for contribution to the development of the autistic community in their country.
On June 4, 2014, parliamentary hearings ‘Education, security health and social security of children with mental and physical disabilities: problems and ways to solve them’ was held. INGO ‘Child with Future’ was one of active lobbyists holding parliamentary hearings, co-organizer and one of the active speakers.
In 2014, a course for specialists ‘Autism: complex problems assistance. The concept of TEACCH: methods and techniques’. The course was designed and organized by the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ and the ‘Kolping’s case’ Counseling Center for People with autism together with Lviv National Ivan Franko University with the support of Dragomanov National University.
In early 2015, we published the results of our first all-Ukrainian survey on the situation with autism, which was signed by 24 public organizations and more than 120 families with children with autism from all regions of Ukraine. The survey identified the most acute problems in Ukraine. Respondents called ‘specialists’, ‘diagnostics’, ‘officials’ among them.
In 2015, INGO launched the Bifrender volunteer training project. The aim of the project was to train volunteers to communicate with children with autism families and providing them free care.
In 2016, the INGO together with the Association of Parents of Children with Autism and the Ministry of Education of Ukraine presented a Roadmap that explained in detail how to get to kindergarten or school as part of inclusive education. Roadmap distributed throughout Ukraine among public organizations and educational centers. INGO also organized a unique socialization class for children with autism ‘Safety above all!’, which took place in the fire department of Kyiv. Children got acquainted with the firefighters and firefighting equipment, visited the Museum of firefighter.
We also acted as a partner of the international ANCA Foundation, which annually holds a world festival for people with autism and presents awards for achievements in various fields. The Foundation organized a collection of applications from Ukraine, according to the results of which Ukraine was represented by seven kids with autism.
In 2016, the Ministry of Education of Ukraine and INGO signed a Memorandum on cooperation, which helped to unite efforts to provide social, psychological, educational and legal assistance to families with autistic people, integrate children with autism into society, promote regional implementation, local and international programs, individual training, educational and correctional processes.
In 2016, INGO in partnership with the National University of Physical Culture and Sports
initiated the first, and in 2017 the second training course of 3C-therapy for specialists, – a unique method of physical rehabilitation of children.
In 2017, the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ supported the Deputy of Ukraine Yuriy Miroshnychenko initiative, becoming a co-founder and moderator of national parliamentary platform ‘Ukraine autism friendly’.
2017–2019, representatives of the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ have been working on the recommendations and amendments development to the legislation of Ukraine in areas of education and employment of people with mental disorders.
In April 2018, the INGO ‘Child with a Future’ in partnership with friends organizations became the initiator and organizer of the international conference ‘DIR Floortime, occupational therapy and sensory integration for all’ (Kyiv, “Ukrainian House»).
2019 we initiated and conducted in Kyiv ‘The first international practical conference on autism IPAC-2019’ in partnership with friendly organizations, gathered for the first time in Ukraine the most recognized speakers and autism specialists in the world. Ukrainian and international media and experts called the conference to be the largest platform for the concentration of practical and scientific experience achievements in the field of autism in Central and Eastern Europe.
In November 2020, the Second International Practical Conference on
autism IPAC-2020 to be held. The main topics will be the role of the family in raising a child with autism, child proper preparation for inclusion and other extremely important topics. In connection with quarantine measures due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conference will be held online, so the conditions for participation in it will be physically simpler. Watch out for our news and announcements.
Spring 2020, due to the quarantine measures in Ukraine and global coronavirus pandemic, INGO ‘Child with a Future’ spoke with initiative ‘Let’s become stronger!’. Together with friends and partners we pooled available information for people with autism and their families to be informed at this difficult time, to receive recommendations and to be supported by online communication.
We decided to fill the shortage of live communications during the quarantine with a series of regular online seminars for children with autism and their families with well-known Ukrainian and foreign specialists, Inna Sergiyenko and her son Misha. These weekly online streams quickly acquired popularity, audience is constantly growing.
INGO ‘Child with a future’ is the initiator and organizer of the national surveys on autism. Due to the lack of statistics on this issue in Ukraine and the specificity of the target audience, the results of surveys are unique markers reflecting the opinion of Ukrainian citizens, who have a personal or professional engagement with autism. The first survey was held in 2014, the last one in 2019 within the framework of the ‘Autism Europe’ survey ‘Autism and Education’. Interestingly, more than 70% participants in the 2019 survey answered that the situation with autism in Ukraine has improved significantly recently. The main activities of the INGO ‘Child with future’ in 2018–2020 is inclusion and its conditions creations in Ukraine for opening work places for adults with special needs. See more about our activities on the site.