On September 1st, the Pedagogical (relating to teaching) Council conducted a meeting based on the topic “Improvement of the professional success rate of teachers working in the social protection system in the city of Moscow”, where Diema’s Dream Foundation were invited as partners.
Representatives of the public, the Department and Educational institutions and specialists in our field spoke with reports on the state of affairs and achievements of the wards. Of course, particular attention and interest was paid to the presentation of the Minister of the Government of Moscow, the head of the Department of Labour and Social Protection of Moscow Petrosyan VA.
The issues that were looked at included; improving the qualifications and the competencies of teachers working in the system of social protection, as well as introducing modern teaching methods into practical work. Specialists also discussed the interaction of social protection with Moscow’s educational institutions and socially-orientated public organisations in order to enhance the professional competence of the teaching staff of the social protection system.
Our involvement in this event was important for us, as the “Diema’s Dream” Foundation has been conducting training seminars for more than three years, teaching the “Portage” methodology to specialists of the social protection system in Moscow and other regions. As a result of our courses, this allows them to work with children who have severe and multiple developmental disabilities, with the outcome being impressive as they seem a steady yet visible improvement in their children’s growth in all sectors not only physically but mentally and emotionally too.
According to the data provided by the Department, there are 3,835 wards in social protection institutions in Moscow alone and more than 2,000 of them are wards of families and children who have been reorganised from orphanages.
They are very happy with the achievements of the children from the social protection system! In 2018, 196 pupils graduated from nine classes, 35% of them will continue their education in the 10-11 grades. On the whole, 481 children graduated from the academic year 4-5. All these results significantly exceed the figures from previous years.
Now all the children’s institutions (social security) in Moscow are well-equipped. For example, there is equipment such as interactive whiteboards, computers and tablets. Modern digital technologies are being introduced, and even practised in lessons with children who have impaired posture even practised lying down in order to reduce the burden on the spine.
However, to our disappointment, the children who were previously allocated to the “Mercy” group are experiencing “visibility”. These are children with the most severe and multiple developmental disorders, with a multitude of complicated physical and mental disorders, who usually remain lying down constantly in special groups. In terms of care, they rely on being looked after and being fed. There are a few hundred of such children in Moscow. They cannot feed themselves; they cannot move around and have almost no means of communication.
According to a report, “in 2018, 42 children gained the ability to walk independently and 25 children gained the ability to eat by themselves” and this is applies for the entirety of Moscow! It is a great achievement, but a lot more can-and should- be done. That is why we must continue our work, to teach our children vital skills and to figuratively and literally stand on their own feet.
