On September 9, a press conference "Early intervention service in Ukraine and in your city" was held in the MEDIABAZA hub in Chernihiv on the topic of helping families raising children under the age of four with developmental disorders or at risk of developing them.

The press conference was held simultaneously in six cities of Ukraine. The speaker of the event was Svitlana Chorna, deputy director of educational work of the communal institution "Regional Centre for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Children with Disabilities "Revival" of the Chernihiv Regional Council. In addition, the event was attended by members of the early intervention teams of the "Revival" Centre: physical therapist Natalya Smirnova, practical psychologist Olga Kravchuk, assistant occupational therapist Oleksandr Yevtushenko, who this year completed the 8-month training on providing early intervention services as part of the UNICEF team support project  of national coaches from Kharkiv and Lviv.

Questions regarding the importance and effectiveness of investing in early childhood were discussed: why is it important to identify impaired development in children early and involve parents in screening for child development? About the need to ensure continuity of services for families and children. About the experience and prospects of the development of early intervention. The early intervention service is early detection by a team of specialists of various profiles of problems with the child's health and development, timely and prompt assistance, which allows to stop the child's disability in the future. Medical, psychological, social, educational assistance is provided to children of the first years of life.

The 27-year experience of working with young children at the "Revival" Centre shows the effectiveness and necessity of early detection and early assistance to families with children who were born with developmental disorders or are at risk of developing them. Implementation of a comprehensive early intervention service helps prevent disability, 70% of them successfully adapt to the requirements of a children's preschool, and institutionalization of children. This service takes into account the needs of both the child and the parents, is aimed at strengthening the potential of the family, and is also focused on cooperation and partnership with parents. Program of early intervention of receiving:

- support for families raising a child with developmental disorders or at risk of developing them;

– supporting the family in overcoming the crisis;

- improving the child's interaction with family members and society.

The following can receive help:

- families with children who have a certain diagnosis, which is accompanied by support for the child's development;

- families with children who are at risk of developmental delay due to certain biological or social factors;

- families where parents have doubts and worries about their child's development, his interaction with other people.

Unfortunately, sometimes parents simply do not know that such a service exists, and even more so - how and where to go to get it. And we lose the most valuable months of possible help for the child. We must have every family that may need this service reach out to them, assess their needs and offer help.

Currently, the issue of providing assistance to children from families who have had any traumatic experience, especially during military aggression in Ukraine by russia, is very acute.

Therefore, widely informing the family about the opportunities that early intervention provides them and their children is a task for government bodies and institutions. Information about services should be posted in women's consultations, maternity homes, outpatient clinics, enter the program of appropriate parenting and postpartum instruction.