The first weekend of the Second International Practical Conference on Autism ‘IPAC-2020’ took place. Nine speakers presented various nuances of the ‘Inclusion and Family Support’ topic at this grand online event on November 21-22.
The first day of the Conference was opened by the Consul of ‘Autism Europe’ and founder of the ‘Child with Future’ Foundation Inna Sergienko. She told about Ukrainian realities regarding inclusive education, and what is the overall situation with autism in the country, and information about it.
She urged specialists to disseminate useful information about the disorder, which is so lacking in specialists, parents, and society as a whole.
“As long as autistic people are not seen or heard about, they do not exist. For whom should local or central governments provide services if we officially have very few autistic persons?” noted Inna Sergienko.
On the results of the ‘Autism Europe’s’ survey, the Consul told what should be paid attention to first of all and what can be improved in helping autistic people.
Also, the director of the ‘Child with Future’ kindergarten for children with special developmental needs Natalia Struchek spoke on the first day. She emphasized that correction is usually a complicated and long process. Therefore, parents should not wait for instant results. It is a process that often takes more than one month and even more than one year.
Also, she told about the basics of inclusion in general, as well as how to organize classes with an autistic child on your own.
The mother of an autistic adult and the chairperson of the Lviv branch of Kolping Ukraine Kateryna Ostrovskaia talked about social support for a family where a special child is raised. She also talked about how to create a supported living for autistic people.
Besides, a psychiatrist and the head of the Children’s and Adolescent Psychiatry Section of the Association of Psychiatrists of Ukraine Ihor Martsinkovskyi spoke about the special educational needs of children with various mental disorders. And social pedagogue and child psychologist Maryana Good talked about the realities of inclusion in small towns and villages.
The second day of ‘IPAC-2020’ was no less productive. After all, not only Ukrainian but also foreign specialists spoke in its process. In particular, the founder and head of the Mifne Center (Israel) Dr. Hannah Aloni spoke about the first signs of autism in infants. And professor of four universities in the US and Peru, founder (1979) and CEO of the Septgo Ann Sullivan del Peru (CASP) (Peru) Liliana Mayo Ortega raised the topic about adult autism. She touched not only on therapy but also on the employment of special people in her lecture. Liliana Mayo Ortega showed how autistic adults can financially support their families on examples from her experience.
Children’s neurologist and candidate of medical sciences Alexander Miroshnikov discussed with Conference attendees the connection between autism and epilepsy and explained what should be medical support in this case.
The second day and first weekend of the Second International Practical Conference on Autism ‘IPAC-2020’ were concluded by the Development Director of ‘Child with Future’ Foundation Irina Sergienko. She raised the topic – ‘The transition of a special child from one educational institution to another: how to prepare and accompany’.
Also, during the first weekend of the Conference, the organizers raffled off incentive prizes between the listeners – consultations from Inna Sergienko and Natalia Struchek, as well as useful books from the ‘Spektr’ store.
But even though half of the Conference has already passed, the second part is still ahead – on November 28-29. You can buy tickets and learn the details of the event here: https://conf.cwf.com.ua/
It should be added that the general partner of the Second International Practical Conference on Autism (IPAC-2020) is ASINO company in Ukraine.
