KARIN DOM CENTER FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TRAINING AND RESOURCE CENTER
BULLETIN 2013
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Our Children Over the past 17 years since the opening of the center, the services of Karin Dom have benefited more than 1,460 children and their families.
In 2013, we admitted to our programs 149 new children (99 from Bulgaria, 49 from the country and 1 from abroad). The total number of children we worked with this year was 289 and the number of group and individual sessions that our specialists held exceeded 10 000. 163 children received treatment at the center, and the Early Intervention program covered 126 children and families. This year, 27 of our children were first grade pupils, 10 of them were integrated into mainstream schools - with which the number of integrated children is now 206!
"Our child is calmer, self-dependent and has great developmental improvement. We wholeheartedly thank you for working with our special children with so much love and patience!"
Services for children and families In 2013 we worked hard to provide new and diverse services to the children attending Karin Dom, and to children and families from all over Varna!
We enriched our practice by introducing a new method for Bulgaria - trampoline therapy that is suitable for children with a wide range of special needs. One of the advantages of the method is that the children perceive the sessions as an enjoyable form of play. Our specialists received training and introduced an Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS), which allows us to measure the progress of children and the effect of therapy to best prepare individual programs for each child. Art activities are favorite to all children in Karin Dom, so in 2013 we created a special art workshop where children can develop new skills while having fun.
Services for children and families In the summer children again attended swimming therapy – it’s fun in the water, and besides, it helps develop and improve coordination, breath control and many other skills. Our Montessori club for children from 2 to 5 years of age, which started in 2012, is now full-time and received very good feedback from the parents. "Mom and baby playing together" are our new playgroups for moms, dads and their babies aged 0 to 3 years, where we give parents practical advice in the form of fun games and exercises. This year we also took care of the adults and built in our yard a special sports playground for adults where they can make exercises and have fun.
"The diversity that Karin Dom offers was beneficial for my child ... and the aid you provide us with, gives positive results."
Training Center In 2013, we put an emphasis on the development of our Training center, the first step was to expand our training team. We conducted trainings for nearly 500 experts from 47 organizations in the country who work with children with special needs. We organized a series of thematic meetings for parents reaching more than 200 mothers, fathers and relatives.
One of the most significant events organized by Karin Dom in 2013, was the International Conference on Autism, which was held from 10 to 12 June at St. St. Constantine and Elena resort and brought together nearly 300 guests - parents and professionals from Bulgaria and abroad. In 2013, experts from the British special school Spring Common School, who are our partners, visited Karin Dom and shared their experience in trampoline therapy and communication with children with special needs. The training was interesting, served in an accessible manner, with extreme caution and patience to us by our colleagues from Karin Dom. Simply said - thank you! I will feel more secure and confident in my future work.
Recognitions Karin Dom was again elected to the Management Board of the National Network for Children - an association of over 150 NGOs working to safeguard the rights and welfare of children. The expertise of Karin Dom made us a desired participant in the working group at the Ministry of Health to develop a methodology and financial standard for the Center for Early Intervention. We are happy and we share the joy of our chairman Mr. Ivan Stancioff on the awards received during the year: Special prize of the Bulgarian Donors' Forum for personality contributing to the development of charity; honorary doctorate ("honoris causa") from the New Bulgarian University; the honorary award of Tulip Foundation for contribution to volunteering and a plaquette from the Lions Club Varna and Lions Club Varna – Academics for life devoted to charity.
Thank you, friends from Karin Dom, for your dedication to your work and your big hearts!
Holidays and events This year Karin Dom turned 17! On this occasion, we organized together with the children from the Center, a festival entitled "Bulgarian Folklore" and had fun with many of our friends.
As part of our Eco calendar we celebrated the Earth Day, the Day of fruitfulness, and we were awarded a diploma, a medal of honor and a cup at the annual Autumn Festival in September! In March we celebrated the International Down Syndrome Day - children from Karin Dom and Varna kindergartens and schools colored cards with patterned socks (symbol of the day), which we gave as presents to the doctors and midwives from the maternity wards in the city. Children's Day and the Day of Talents were cheerful and bright as ever. We thank all our volunteers who made children's holidays unforgettable and full of smiles!
"I was most impressed by the warm welcome, smiling and welcoming people working here and the wonderful conditions."
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2014! Karin Dom would like to thank all parents, donors and friends for the appreciation and confidence in our abilities!
www.karindom.org & facebook.com/karindom.org