Call for Papers

„New starts and progression – Crisis management within and together with Early Childhood Intervention“

Dramatic events, first of all the covid 19 pandemic, influenced personal and professional life in a way we never experienced before Systems of care and support are challenged due to displacements, poverty, the war against our European neighbour Ukraine with millions of refugees, and last not least climate change.

The fragility of the world and social orders was discussed even before the pandemic (Goepel 2020) and modern societies were considered as in a „mode of permanent crisis“. Nevertheless, the accumulation of current events brings a new intensity that unsettles many systems and their institutions. This leads to social and human challenges within families and in their neighbourhoods. However, change increases instability, but also forces new beginnings.

The 22nd VIFF-Symposium will discuss those aspects and explores how early intervention can respond to the challenges of crises. What effects can be observed on children, families and institutions? What options are available? What has proven to be effective and can be developed to better support and guidance of families and children? What new social and professional questions and aspects are raised?

We cordially invite you to submit a contribution to the main topic

“New start and progression – management within and together with ECI”
dealing with the following subtitles:

• under risk conditions
• times of pandemics
• for specific disorders (e.g. autism)
• for the complex service early support
  and participation.

1. Coping with crisis under conditions at-risk

This topic deals with the questions how early intervention responds to at-risk conditions, what concepts and new evidence are available, and how families and children can actually be supported and encouraged.

2. Crisis management in pandemic times

Daily life of children and families was fundamentally disturbed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Services were closed, regular support was interrupted within the services and at home. Digital devices were tested and used to maintain contact and exchange with the families, if possible.

Contributions can be submitted that focus on the pandemic period and how this has affected the growing up of children and their families.

3. Crisis management in specific syndromes

The symposium offers a platform to present new findings, procedures, and projects in this area. Experts are invited to present their findings in this field of child behaviour and concepts how to deal with specific disorders (e.g., ASD, autism). Central questions in this group are:

• How can children be appropriately diagnosed and supported?
• Which are the most appropriate conditions for their support?
• What does this mean for interdisciplinary cooperation?
• How can parents be adequately involved and accompanied?

4. Crisis management within the ICF system itself

From a scientific point of view, early childhood intervention needs to focus family-centredness and interprofessional collaboration. On the other side, there is a need for a legal basis to coordinate this public funded service. In Germany, the recently passed „Bundesteilhabegesetz“ made it mandatory to focus on participation. New developments are following. How do they fit to scientific findings?

We cordially invite you to contribute your experience in this field of unalienable cooperation:

• Concepts of trans institutional cooperation in the context of early support,
• The challenges of implementing this complex service. What concepts, procedures and methods have been developed for this?

5. Crisis management and participation

Our recent Symposium in 2021 was dedicated to the topic “Participation”. Nevertheless, we return to the same topic here. The” UN Convention for Persons with Disabilities” and the ICF-CY as well continuously remember us of the fundamental value and significance of participation in child development. The participation of children and families is a desideratum, derived from the above-mentioned convention. ECI initiates participatory interactions from the very first minute.

The symposium will explore the impact of crisis on participation of children and families in ECI. The question which accesses enable participation for children and families, how barriers can be removed, and which role professionals and other services (can) play in this context.

With this conference we want to address professional actors in education and training, in the practice of early intervention, as well as in science.

Different contributions can be submitted:
□ Presentation (30 min presentation + 15 min discussion)
□ Workshop (90 min)
□ Workshop (2 x 90 min)
□ Poster

Submission of an abstract is possible up to April 10, 2023 and only by email, using the form, to:

Frau Corinne Lindermann
KelCon GmbH | Tauentzienstr 1 | 10789 Berlin
E-Mail: geschaeftsstelle@fruehfoerderung-viff.de

Conference website: https://www.viff-fruehfoerderung.de/22-symposium-fruehfoerderung/

Concept, management, and organization: