Family orientation and cross-sectoral cooperation in early childhood intervention

Abstract

The support given in the early years of life is a prerequisite for the long-term health. Children with special needs and their families are receiving services according to their concrete special needs in the early childhood intervention system. The quality of the preventive services and interventions provided in the early years is utmost importance both for the development of the child and the future of the society. Early childhood intervention services are provided by different institutions of different sectors. These institutions are very heterogeneous, and their functioning is not always transparent enough. Institutions under different branches of the government often not connected by service paths easily understood and followed by the clients, communication between the experts of the different fields is not functioning well. This study describes the Hungarian early childhood intervention system, its role and institutions, the required expert competencies, and the current state and challenges of cooperation between the different institutional actors. The study presents an interpretation of the early childhood intervention and the adaptability of the international experience to Hungary’s current situation. The target groups, the institutional system, the competencies of the expert service providers, the cooperation between the institutional actors, the weaknesses and strengths of the current system, and how the child who needs support is getting in the service system of the early child-hood intervention is discussed. Currently, family centric service provision and an integrated and coordinated service model with a central role of a key-worker is gaining ground in the early child-hood intervention system. Adaptable international experiences can serve as good models for the development of a modern and more effective early childhood intervention system in Hungary.