Social Innovations in Early Childhood Intervention

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ABOUT THE ORGANISATION:
National Federation of Voluntary
Bodies Providing Services to
People with Intellectual Disability
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies Pro-
viding Services to People with Intellectual Disability
(National Federation) is a national umbrella organiza-
tion for voluntary/non-statutory agencies providing
direct services to people with intellectual disabilities
in Ireland. The organization and its 60 members
account for more than 85 percent of this country’s
direct service provision to people with an intellectual
disability.
The National Federation has developed initiatives
to ensure that staff and volunteers in their services
are equipped to meet the many challenges ahead,
initiatives to promote the inclusion of people with
an intellectual disability in their own communities,
and key policy development initiatives. Another key
function is the sharing of information among member
organizations.
The National Federation is proactive in developing
and contributing to policy initiatives that have a pos-
itive impact on the lives of children and adults with
an intellectual disability. Working closely with various
subcommittees, the organization develops policy
positions on a wide range of topics for consideration
by and approval of its Board. It also contributes
and responds to initiatives developed by statutory
authorities, including government representatives,
the health service industry, and an extensive range
of advisory and expert groups.
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies also
contributes to the development of various EU
directives and to the implementation of the Council
of Europe’s Disability Action Plan.
National Federation of Voluntary
Bodies Providing Services to People with
Intellectual Disbability
Ireland
Ms. Alison Harnett
Tel. +353 91 792316
BROAD DISSEMINATION:
Online courses available for download
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland has
adopted the National Federation’s online train-
ing course – developed through the research
of the Informing Families pilot implementation
programme – nationally for all paediatric train-
ees. The course is similarly under current con-
sideration for formal adoption by the Institute
of Obstetrics following positive feedback from
the Executive Council of the Institute in 2015.
Funding has been provided for the national
implementation of the guidelines by the De-
partment of Health. The funding required is for
a project coordinator to facilitate the roll-out
of regional “training of trainers” courses and
to provide printed copies of the guidelines and
copies of the DVD “Words You Never Forget”
to professionals. The project website provides
information to families in the early stages fol-
lowing their child’s diagnosis. This information
has been translated into seven languages with
financial support from the Health Services
Executive.
Find more:
ABOUT ZERO PROJECT ANAYLSIS
In-depth Research of Innovative Practices
EASPD Secretary General: Luk Zelderloo
Essl Foundation Programme Manager: Michael Fembek
Author: Wilfried Kainz
Project coordinator: Sabrina Ferraina
Graphic Design: Christoph Almasy
Graphic Facilitation: Petra Plicka
Editing: John Tessitore
This in-depth analysis can be downloaded for free at
and
For information or copies, contact:office@zeroproject.org
Essl Foundation, Aufeldgasse 17-23, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
© Essl Foundation and EASPD, April 2016. All rights reserved.