The ECI Greece project

The ECI Greece project aims at improving the availability of quality ECI services in Greece. It is implemented by EASPD, the European Association of Service Providers for persons with Disabilities and financed by the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument and implemented in cooperation with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) to support the Greek government in developing a modern, evidence-based legislative and financial framework for Early Childhood Intervention services. The quality and adapted care and support provided by ECI services will be a crucial step towards deinstitutionalisation and the effective inclusion in society of children with disabilities and their families. The role of EASPD is to provide consistent expert advice to the Greek Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family in the overall coordination and to mobilise transfer of know-how from its extensive European network.

The key activities of the ECI Greece project are:

  1. The development of training for Greek service providers based on good practice examples from EU countries,
  2. The piloting of these new methodologies for a year,
  3. The development of a comprehensive country report on early childhood intervention in Greece laying as the groundwork for a shared understanding of what ECI is,
  4. The dissemination of awareness-raising activities targeted, among others, at public authorities, assessment services, medical staff, and families,
  5. The development of a Roadmap and an Action Plan to establish a sustainable and holistic legislative and financial framework that supports family-centred ECI.