Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

Nenad Ivanisevic, State Secretary

Serbia’s experience in the social inclusion of children

with disability

The challenge – discrimination and isolation of children with disabilities in Serbia

Placement of children with disability in large-scale institutions was common practice

Insufficient community support services to enable the social inclusion of children with disabilities

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

Re-defining priorities: PUTTING FAMILIES FIRST

FOCUS ON:

Better outreach support and services for vulnerable families

Expanding specific community-based services for children with disability and their families

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

Re-defining priorities: DEVELOPING FAMILY-BASED ALTERNATIVE CARE

Strengthening family-based alternative care - foster and kinship

Creating family-like residential care options

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

FINANCING – strategies applied

Keeping new costs to a minimum - redirecting the human and physical resources of residential care homes.

New investments - increasing financing for foster families caring for a child with disability and funding for community services.

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

KEY RESULTS

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

2008

2013

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

23%

65%

Community based services - % of munic-ipalities covered

Series 1

KEY RESULTS

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

2000 20130

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1773

5130

Number of children in foster care

Foster care

KEY RESULTS

Children with disability

Children 0-30

200400600800

100012001400 1322

364

Number of children in residential care

2000 2013

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

Next steps - overcoming challenges in creating a society that is fully inclusive

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs

Mainstreaming and securing sustainable financing for new family outreach services, aimed at preventing family separation.

Accelerate the transformation and downsizing of remaining large-scale residential institutions.

THANK YOU!

Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs