Kindering Center, Bellevue, WA
Today I had an opportunity to meet with a former grantee of ours, Mimi Siegel from the Kindering Center. She and I were talking about the impact made on the lives of children and families in the Russian Far East as a result of their partnership with the Vladivostok Center for Early Intervention six years ago. Together they created the first early intervention center of its kind in the Russian Far East to help infants and children from birth to three years with developmental disabilities, as well as to help autistic children between the ages of 2-4.
Vladivostok Center for Early Intervention
As Mimi said, the idea of intervention is very simple – treatment is most effective when administered as early as possible. Scientific research shows that the first two to three years of a child’s life is most critical in the development of a child’s brain and personality.
During their time working together over 178 children and parents came to the center in Vladivostok for evaluation and assistance. Using the concept of express-diagnosis for developmental levels, a method that was replicated from Kindering’s experience, the children’s hospitals were better equiped to refer children to the center.
When I asked Mimi what she considered the results to be from this partnership, she first stated that children and families were being better served in Russia. She also mentioned that they formed long-lasting friendships and finally that the Kindering team that traveled to Russia, upon their return, were better able to serve the large Russian speaking population in her own community.
Since the launch of this first center two others have been created in Khabarovsk and on Sakhalin Island where they continue to serve families and children today. This is clearly an example of partnerships that make a difference and FRAEC is very pleased to have played a part in their success.
