A koragyermekkori intervenció rendszere – utak és kapcsolódások

Abstract

The article discusses the system, working and current developments of the early childhood intervention system in Hungary, with particular emphasis on the connection between the institutional agents and the client’s paths in the institutional system. The study starts with the definition of the early childhood intervention in Hungary and identifies its target groups. After reviewing the main arguments supporting the particular importance of the interventions in the early years, the article presents a short international overview of the relevant activities in the provision of early childhood intervention services and support for the children and their families. Then the article describes the different institutional players and the connections between them concerning the screening, signaling and service provision under the current regulation in the Hungarian early childhood intervention system as being in the intersection of Healthcare, Education and social support and childcare systems. The main contribution of this study is the detailed description of the Child’s path/Client’s path in the institutional system from the preconception, through the pregnancy, the perinatal period, and the development phase after the birth until to the start of the elementary education. The article describes all of the players taking part in the service provision in each particular phase and their roles and connections between them defined by the current legal framework. The study identifies the lack of some important connections and suggests changes in the regulation in order to improve the performance of the early childhood intervention system through a definition of a more efficient and effective Client’s Path.