Traditionally an important role is played by centres run by Polski Związek Głuchych (PZG, the Polish Association for the Deaf). In each of the 16 branches the parents of young children with hearing impairments can under-take free sign language learning (System Sign Language – SSL or Polish Sign Language – PSL) financed by the PFRON resources. PZG also runs through-out the country 24 clinics funded by the NFZ, PFRON and others. Like public or private institutions or associations, they take part in competitions announced by units of NFZ or PFRON in order to obtain a grant to carry out statutory activity.
Therapy is also carried out by non-governmental institutions, such as associa-tions and private foundaassocia-tions, which finance activities with contracts obtained in competitions and from private sources (parents pay for classes, obtain a sponsor or collect individual or associational 1%). Well-known public benefit organisa-tions dealing with children with hearing impairments in Poland include, among others: Polska Fundacja Pomocy Dzieciom Niedosłyszącym – ECHO (Poland Foundation for Helping Children with Hearing Impairments – ECHO), Sto-warzyszenie Rodziców i Przyjaciół Dzieci z Wadą Słuchu ORaToR (the Associ-ation of Parents and Friends of Children with Hearing Impairments – ORaToR) in Wroclaw, Stowarzyszenie Rodziców i Przyjaciół Dzieci z Wadą Słuchu (the Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Hearing Impairments) in
Katarzyna Ita Bieńkowska
-development support and education of children and youth with hearing impairment – comparative analysis on the example of five European countries aborniak-Sobczak, Katarzyna Ita Bieńkowska, Edyta Tomińska • Wydawnictwo APS • Warsaw 2017
Krosno. These facilities provide multi-faceted support for parents and children, filling a gap in the activities of the State institutions, among others, through the organisation of summer rehabilitation camps, running therapy at home and organising integration events and campaigns publicising in the mass media the problem of hearing impairment (Bieńkowska, Zaborniak-Sobczak, 2015).
Internet as a source of information
Currently the Internet is a popular source of information for both families of young children with hearing impairment and professionals alike. There is cur-rently in Poland no single generally accessible information platform on which could be found the whole spectrum of objective, reliable information about hear-ing impairments in children. Parents search for distributed information on the websites of hospitals, ministries, associations, hearing aid companies or finally on the numerous Internet forums, which play an important social role. Exam-ple pages on sign language are: www.jezykmigowy.org.pl; www.migaj.org.pl, www.pzg.pl. Portals relating to the issues of people with a hearing impairment include, for example: www.wadasluchu.org. With the help of modern messag-ing technology, among others, associated with wide access to the Internet, the environment of deaf people comes to the fore more and more.
Summary
The system for care of children with hearing impairment in Poland has improved in relation to previous years. The development of technology, its availability, the deepening state of knowledge on the development of young children and the importance of hearing for speech development and thinking, has allowed action to be taken aimed at the inclusion of the group of children with auditory hearing impairment and providing them with optimum development. The changing reality after the collapse of communism and the period of transformation forced changes both in the field of education, as well as health care. Undoubtedly the medical environment (laryngologists, audiologists and neonatologists) had an impact on the improvement of the situation. A number of activities related to the treatment and education of small children with hearing impairment were brought about
The system for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention in Poland
-development support and education of children and youth with hearing impairment – comparative analysis on the example of five European countries aborniak-Sobczak, Katarzyna Ita Bieńkowska, Edyta Tomińska • Wydawnictwo APS • Warsaw 2017
from below, thanks to the reaction of citizens (e.g. Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy). The political breakthrough of the 1980s had a definite influence on the development of methods of working with children with hearing impairment, as it enabled access to foreign literature, as well as numerous contacts between Polish researchers and practitioners with colleagues from abroad. The exchange has allowed the organisation of training, among others, with the participation of S. Schmitt-Giovannini and W. Estabrooks.
The situation of young children with hearing impairment in Poland can be considered stable, provided it does not change due to limited funds.
Summary
The purpose of the chapter was to describe the overall system of supporting the development of small children with hearing impaired from birth to the age of 6 which is in place in the Republic of Poland. The author analyses available governmental and non-governmental legal and organisational solutions. She discusses the program of neonatal hearing screening, availability and funding of hearing aids and various solutions concerning execution of different early support programs. The author also emphasizes the importance of availability of information for parents, their education and the importance and influence of nursery and kindergarten education.
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The system for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention in Poland
-development support and education of children and youth with hearing impairment – comparative analysis on the example of five European countries aborniak-Sobczak, Katarzyna Ita Bieńkowska, Edyta Tomińska • Wydawnictwo APS • Warsaw 2017
Source materials
The Constitution of the Republic of Poland (Journal of laws 1997, no. 78 item 483).
The Act of 27 August 2004 on publicly-funded health care benefits (Journal of laws 2008 no. 164, item 1027 as amended).
Regulation of the President of the Council of Ministers of 18 July 2008 on the manner and mode of State funding of health care benefits (Journal of laws no. 137, item 858).
The Act of 4 February 2011 on caring for children up to the age of 3 years (Journal of laws 2013, item 1457).
The Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 11 October 2013 on the organi-zation of early development support for children’s development (Journal of laws 2013, item 1257).
The Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 1 February 2002 on the cri-teria for the assessment of disability in people under the age of 16 years of age (Journal of laws 2002, no. 17, item 162).
-development support and education of children and youth with hearing impairment – comparative analysis on the example of five European countries aborniak-Sobczak, Katarzyna Ita Bieńkowska, Edyta Tomińska • Wydawnictwo APS • Warsaw 2017