Good Practices Towards Inclusion, Activity and Participation of Children with Complex and Intense Support Needs

Abstract

Children with multiple and complex disabilities are often relegated to passive, institutional care. To promote inclusive and active lives, a European collaborative group (care providers, parents, trainers) developed an in-service training framework and defined good practices, aligning with the UNCRPD. A four-stage international Delphi procedure, involving local professionals and parents, established criteria for good practices enabling participation and activation, and identified responding examples. Fifty-nine participants (professionals and parents) from eight EU countries selected 12 quality criteria (e.g., quality of life, inclusive learning, family-centeredness, teamwork). They nominated 29 projects meeting five or more criteria. The examples demonstrate that children with severe multiple disabilities can achieve meaningful inclusive education and activities, provided adequate support and staff/parent understanding of how to deliver it.