Visit to Belarus, April 2003 • Page 2

Painting at Home for Abandoned Babies

Blue Corner Sensory Room

The group next visited the Home for Abandoned Babies in Gomel. This home has been transformed since Jean organised a short training programme there in February and then some of the staff came on a visit to Britain. All were impressed by the happy atmosphere in the home; the children’s work on the walls; the sensory room which had been created from simple things; the life story work being undertaken with the children; and the music and movement class for Downs children which they watched. They were shown around by Tatiana, who has instigated much of this change and who told them that England was ‘one big sensory room’. It was a surprise for Jan , Russell and Lyn to see so many babies with hydrocephalus and to learn that shunts are rarely fitted.
We met Elena Voloshinenko, Head of Special Needs Education in Gomel Region, to hear her overview of the work being done to improve facilities for children with special needs, and the steps being taken towards integration. Elena has done a great job promoting better education for children with special needs, but she inevitably paints a slightly rosy picture of just how far things have progressed. Many of the children who have been ‘integrated’ would never have been sent to a special school in Britain. There are now many development or ‘correctional’ centres belonging to the Education department, and children’s shelters have been set up throughout the region. In these shelters the main aim is to get children back to their own families or into a foster family if possible, and only send them to an orphanage if all else fails. Elena also spoke a little about the foster care training programme and how successful the advertising campaign last Autumn had been in recruiting families.
Elena came to Britain on an educational visit last October with Alexandra and Valentina from Social Protection and we are keen for them to work together as much as possible. We had hoped that Elena would join us for an evening meal with these two women later in the week. But although Elena claims that they do work happily together, she did not come for either the evening meal, or to join the Round Table discussion later in the week. Unfortunately it seems she may be under pressure from one of the Deputy Directors of Education not to get too involved with people from another department.

Baby with hydrochephalus

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