The organization of the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Refugees today was a meeting of all relevant participants in the process of assessing and monitoring children with disabilities according to international classification – MCF.
This is the first time on this important reform process for children and family, but also the wider community, directly discuss the Ministers from the Department of Social Policy, Health, Education and Finance, together with the representatives of the UNICEF and the expert bodies in charge of the ICF implementation in ZDK. The goal of the meeting was to improve partnership and cross-sectoral cooperation as a key factor in the success of this reform.
The new system of assessment, based on the social model, requires close cooperation and coordination between the social protection, education and health sectors. With this reform approach, it is not crucial in which the assessment department will be formally legal, but all the relevant departments are continuously, smoothly and intensively to the child’s contextual functioning and the most adequate form of the child and family, in order to independence and involvement in society.
By the decision of the Government, the RC, the reform process began in the second half of 2022. year, while the professional body for assessment and monitoring began operating in February 2024. years.
– For all of us, this was a challenging period in which the medical model of assessment on a holistic approach, which is in the best interests of the child and family. With the support of UNICEF, which leads the reform process in our country, we have managed to harmonize activities in practice, resulting in the signing of the protocol on cooperation between three ministries and institutions under their auspices. There were many challenges that we sought to solve together and I think we made a good job. It is now time to further improve this system through even stronger integration and better understanding of all actors, this system is further improved by Antonio Simunović, Minister of Labor, Social Policy and ZDK refugees.
The final goal of the child’s assessment towards the MKF methodology is the maximum use of its functional capacities, with the aim of involving all life activities. The reform approach includes human and access to the right approach, which results in a detailed holistic look at the child, family and their life context.
– The reform method of assessment allows each child to achieve a high level of involvement in society, in accordance with their abilities, needs and interests. JU Center for Children and Adults with Special Needs, within which a professional body, in the past year, is, with the support of the Ministry of Social Policy and UNICEF, take additional efforts to provide adequate and timely services to children – added.
Ernad Metaj, director of the Center for Children and Adults with the Special Needs of the CCC, thanked all the actors involved in the process of MCF for cooperation and understanding of the importance of seeing this process, in the best interests of children and families.
– The year and a few of us are direct work during which the professional body was processed by 381 items from the arrival 499. Our goal is to no longer be the case on hold for the end of next year. For this, the personnel strengthening of the professional body is necessary, as well as the improvement of cooperation with institutions and organizations involved in the assessment of each child. It is important that we all realize that we are partners in one new, common reform process, which has yet to make real benefits for people with disabilities – but also for the entire society – Metaj has emphasized.
Through talks with the Ministers of Education, Health and Finance, the goal is to ensure the staffing of the professional body and find the best solutions for more efficient and better cooperation of all actors in the process of assessing and monitoring children with disabilities.
The Health Minister ZDK Aida Salčinović explained that joint meetings of the professional body and representatives of health and cantonal hospitals were held, during which previous experiences were exchanged. She pointed out that there are certain doubts and problems in cooperation, but that it is important that the process flows and that the best modalities for successful cooperation are being constructively demanded.
The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Mirza Mushi said the largest number of MCF users are currently coming to improve the process – primarily through a quality assessment of assistants and professional associates in schools.
– As a minister, I appeal to all actors in the process of the ICF to put the interest and family interest in the forefront, and to find a way in accordance with that better cooperation. The Ministry remains open to support all constructive proposals – said Minister of Mushi.
