Pedagogical activities for mothers and children
The “baby room” project offered an enriching environment for
babies and very young children. Specialised educators and social
workers worked together to develop and implement individualised
educational programmes for the children and their mothers.
Individual plans were developed for the reception, educational
support and social integration of young children with special needs.
Limited access to formal education
Educational measures should be aimed at promoting formal
schooling and realising every child’s right to an education. The
educational activities provided inside reception facilities should
prepare children for integration into the formal education system.
The project encountered challenges in this area. Although there
are objective challenges that impede access to education for
refugee and migrant children, a more constructive cooperation
between the shelter’s staff and the educators of local schools would
have facilitated the enrolment of children. Moreover, it has been
established that the young children who participated in informal
education and preschool activities within the shelter had limited
interaction with the local community and their peers and tended to
get marginalised.
Language issues and difficulties in achieving children’s
participation
One of the main challenges was the lack of interpreters during
some of the activities, which made communication between the
beneficiaries and the staff difficult. In addition, at the initial stage
of project implementation, the staff found it difficult to ensure chil-
dren’s participation in educational activities. This problem could
be due to disparities in the children’s ages, cultural backgrounds
and educational levels, which made it particularly challenging to
form teaching groups. Psychological factors such as fear, sadness or
anxiety affected the quality of participation and contributed to poor
concentration.
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