[Initial reports on experiences in working with special groups in child day care centers]
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Early detection of physical damage in infants is crucial. Special creche groups in Erfurt provided tailored, all-day educational support for 64 children with various disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Special Education
- Early Intervention Programs
Context:
- Guidelines from the GDR Ministry of Public Health (1976) mandated special groups for infants with physical damage in ordinary creches.
- In 1976/77, Erfurt established eight such groups, integrating 64 children based on age and type/degree of damage for homogeneous learning environments.
Purpose:
- To describe the establishment and methodology of specialized early intervention groups for infants with physical damage.
- To detail the all-day teaching process, including parental involvement and individualized educational planning.
Summary:
- The study outlines an early intervention model implemented in Erfurt creches for infants with physical damage.
- Educational strategies focused on individualized teaching, structured timetables, and adapting to diverse needs like disablement or impaired hearing.
- Parental engagement through guidance, discussions, and home visits was integral to the program's success.
Impact:
- Demonstrates a structured approach to early detection and intervention for infants with physical damage.
- Highlights the importance of homogeneous grouping and individualized educational planning for optimal child development.
- Emphasizes the significant role of parental involvement in supporting early intervention outcomes.
Abstract:
A decisive condition for advancement at an early stage is the detection of physical damage. In this connection the GDR Ministry of Public Health has published guidelines for the establishment of special groups for infants suffering from physical damage, at ordinary creches (Verfügungen und Mitteilungen 15/1976). In 1976/77 a total of eight special groups with 64 children were set up at creches in the city of Erfurt. The criteria for assigning children to such groups were age and the type/degree of damage, with the aim of having homogeneous group structures. Advancement was through an all-day teaching process, in which parents were involved by giving them guidance, inviting them for discussion evenings and calling on their homes. A description is given of the approach to teaching and methods and planning (written timetables for specific months, weeks and days), all of which are essential in creating adequate educational conditions taking into account individual differences in the level of performance and the prevailing primary damage (e.g. disablement, impaired hearing, marked milieu damage).