Laws and Policies on Children with Disabilities in the Republic of Macedonia Education, Social Protection and Health Care Lidija Krstevska Dojcinovska, MA Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia

National Legal Framework -Education- There is no special law on inclusive education in the Republic of Macedonia; however the existing legislation contains the principles which support it: Law on Primary Education – universality, antidiscrimination, individual support and free transport. – Children have the right to choose the educational institution in which they will start their education. National Strategy for the Development of Education( ) – Reducing discrimination in schools. – Increasing support for children with disabilities. National Strategy for Deinstitutionalization 2008 Focus on including children with disabilities in mainstream schools.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ratified in 2011) National Strategy on Equality and Antidiscrimination – 2 nd strategic goal puts an accent on the inclusive education. National Strategy on Equalization of the Rights of the People with Disabilities 2010 – 2018 – Compulsory employment of special educators in the mainstream schools – Continuous teachers’ training National Strategy on Alleviation of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Republic of Macedonia – To ensure full coverage of the primary and high school students, – To raise the level of literacy and education of the population Law on Antidiscrimination 2010 – Includes discrimination on the grounds of disability Low on Sign Language 2009 – The school which educates deaf children, organizes studying of sign language as a subject introduced in the curricula

Every document points out that: – Children with disabilities have the same right to quality education as anyone else; – They have the right to chose and have an education in an inclusive environment; – They are entitled to specific resources and expertise to satisfy their educational needs.

The legal framework is inclusive and quite clear, but… There are many challenges in practice Limited progress has been achieved in inclusion of children There are not enough systems for support (for students and teachers), there are physical barriers and certain prejudices towards these people Insufficient professional training for teachers to work with students with disabilities There is no permanent and sufficient funding to develop services (on central and local level)

Social Protection and Health Care Law on Social Protection and Law on Child Protection: – Provides a legal basis for identification of children with disabilities – Inclusion in the kindergartens – It provides for appropriate conditions for adequate child development Centers for social work: – evidence of children with disabilities – initiation and implementation of measures for social protection “Categorization” of the disability: – Commissions for categorization (within the health system) – Financial allowances on the grounds of disability

Developmental counseling offices (in primary health care facilityеs) – Follow/ monitor the risky born children 0-6 – Parents’ education Institutions for diagnosis and treatment (secondary and tertiary health care) – Speech therapists, psychologists, physical rehabilitation… Day care centers – Target: children 4-18 years old – On the basis of disability Kindergartens – Inclusion of children with disabilities with other children or in special groups, depending of the severity of disability

Challenges… Identification process – often late for certain disabilities – it is not always followed by support services – parents try to avoid it due to labeling of their child Diagnostic and treatment process – It is still a medical approach – Categorization of the disability, rather than needs assessment – Limited knowledge about the treatment of certain disabilities – Underdeveloped network of institutions for treatment

More financial resources are invested in institutional care as opposed to forms of family support Underdeveloped network of support services on local level The kindergartens have not the capacity to enroll children with disabilities (many children in the groups, the staff is not educated enough)