I am delighted to have the opportunity to write this foreword. I

have known about the fantastic work in Romania for over ten

years. As CEO of Sense Scotland we shared projects,

information and knowledge.

Since becoming CEO of Sense and Sense International I

understand more and have got closer to the work of Sense

International Romania.

Ten years ago, when Sense International Romania was started,

there was nothing for deafblind children.

It was therefore a special achievement to have deafblindness recognised as a unique and distinct

disability in Romanian legislation. This advocacy work has led to 35 classes in special schools

supporting 140 deafblind/multi sensory impaired (MSI) children. This early intervention work is so

important and can only be done in partnership with teachers, educationalists and of course the

families and deafblind children themselves.

We are grateful for our partnership with the Ministry of Education which has led to the curriculum

for teaching MSI children. It’s a fantastic achievement to have trained 85 teachers/educators to

take this work forward. Cristiana and her team are rightly proud of the screening programme

where 37,000 babies have had their hearing screened, 6,000 have had vision tested. This has led

to 75 infants being referred to the Early Intervention services. This support will give these children

the best possible start and support their families through often difficult times.

I know the Sense International (Romania) team would want me to thank all the colleagues and

friends that support our work in so many ways. I’m proud of Sense International Romania and the

very real difference the support makes to the lives of some of the most marginalised children in

our society.

I hope you enjoy reading more about some of the ‘high points’ over 2011.

Yours Sincerely

Gillian Morbey OBE CEO

Sense, Sense International

Dear Friends,

Since 2001 SI(R) main ways of communicating about our

work around deafblindness and deafblind people have been

the newsletter, the annual report and quite recently our

website.

This year we have embraced communication through face

book as well. I would like to use this opportunity to kindly

invite all the Facebook fans to express your ideas, thoughts

and opinions on our Facebook fan page!

For most of us our central focus is people who are deafblind, their struggles and aspirations, their

achievements and failures.

We have tried to learn as much as we can about this disability and we have committed ourselves

to improve services for deafblind children in our country. We have done our best to advocate on

behalf and together with deafblind people, to organize awareness seminars about deafblindness,

influencing our legislation in the field and working with partners

Without false modesty, the results have been remarkable! Becoming more professional has been

an important goal for us but our focus on children who are deafblind /MSI and on professionals

who work with these kids has been a priority and will always be a priority!

During all those years SI(R) has been recognized for its dedication, commitment ,professionalism

and welcoming nature, its team being always ready to share information with partners and

dedicate time to parents and families. If I look back, I think that it is fair to say that we have made

a big difference in the field of deafblindness in Romania. Maybe we could have done more for the

adults; we could have been more proactive in nagging some authorities to apply the legislation. I

am sure that there is always space for improving things and for sure the parents of deafblind

children have lots of aspirations for their children and expect more and more from us! The

activities run throughout this year show that our organization has grown a lot, we have learned

from our mistakes and managed to accomplish some of our long lasting desires.

SI(R) current country strategic plan offers a guarantee to our future success and a road map to

our intentions and desires.

Yours Sincerely,

Cristiana Salomie

Sense Internațional (Romania) Director

1

Ten years ago, deafblindness was a completely unknown

concept in Romania. There wasn’t even a word for

naming this deficiency.

Already working in the NGO field, I came into contact

with Sense International UK.

They were trying to increase

awareness about deafblind people,

about the specific problems of

people with both visual and hearing

impairments and about the need to

create services for them.

From that point on, establishing an organisation in Romania was just one step away.

Photo 2

Photo 1

Photo 3 Photo 4

How was Sense International (Romania) born?

Photo 1 – Richard Hawkes (Sense International UK Director 1994-2006), Cristiana Salomie (Director SIR), Norman Brown (MSI Course Coordinator –Birmingham University, Deafblindness Course Coordinator Romania), Prof. Univ. PhD. Vasile Preda, Head of Special Education Department, Babes Bolyai University (1992-2009) Photo 2 – Training course in Deafblindness, 2006– Stuart Aitken, Senior Research Fellow Edinburgh University, Sense International trainer for the Education Programme in Romania Photo 3 – Rodney Clark (CEO Sense 1981 – 1996) Photo 4 – Gill Morbey (CEO Sense and Sense International), Georgeta Graure (parent), Ștefan Graure

2

Tell us a bit about SI(R) history.

SI(R), unlike other organisations during those years, did not create alternative services. We were

aware of the fact that, in order to ensure sustainability for the services, we had to work in

partnership with the Romanian state, and not outside it.

Therefore, with the support of Sense UK, we trained a few teachers in methods and techniques of

working with deafblind and multisensory impaired children and we supported the establishment

of two classes for deafblind children – one in Bucharest and one in Cluj Napoca, following the

British model. The essential condition was that classes should not have more than 4 children.

It all started as a pilot project, with 8 children, 2 classes and 4 teachers. After one year of

functioning, representatives of the Ministry of Education visited the classes and, having noticed

the results and the children’s remarkable progress, they decided to extend the project and embed

it in the Romanian education system.

Photo 5 Photo 6 Photo 7

Photo 8 Photo 9 Photo 10

Photo 5 – John McInnes (author of Deafblind Infants and Children: A Developmental Guide) and wife Photo 6 – Mary Foster (Trainer Sense UK, Consultant for the Education Programme in Romania) and Roxana Photo 7 – Sense specialists – Richard Tomlinson (Paediatrician Consultant UK National Health Service), John Shaw (Head of Children and Young People’s Services Devon) and Eileen Boothroyd (Head of Education Department Sense UK) Photo 8 – Gerard Swan (Sense UK, Deafblindness Course Coordinator Romania) and Alexandra Photo 9 – Sense specialists in a deafblind/MSI class Photo 10 – Sense specialists - Gerard Swan and John Shaw

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We continued supporting the education field, but in 2007 we realized that by the time children

reach kindergarten or school age, it is already a bit late for them, and work should be done with

them as early as possible, even from birth.

The result was the implementation of a new project, the Early Intervention project. It is currently

being developed in three major cities: Bucharest, Oradea and Timişoara and the plan is to follow

the education programme model, proving its viability and then having the Romanian state take

over and implement it at national level.

What is the greatest achievement in these 10 years?

It is difficult to think about only 1 achievement… SI(R) became a key resource in the field of

deafblindness in Romania – for children, parents, teachers, doctors, authorities. We changed

legislation – since 2006, the law recognizes deafblindness as a distinct disability.

More than anything though, we offered and continue to offer deafblind/MSI children the chance

to develop and reach their maximum potential.

What was the greatest challenge for SI(R)?

In addition to the early intervention and education programmes, SI(R) has invested over the years

a lot of time, energy and resources in supporting 2 organisations created with our support: The

Association of Parents of Deafblind Children in Romania and the Association of Deafblind People

in Romania.

Despite our greatest efforts in supporting them to become independent and active organizations,

we did not succeed in creating that nucleus bringing together deafblind people, becoming a

unique voice in the fight for promoting their own rights.

As a result, in 2010, due to budget restrictions, we were forced to stop supporting them, but we

still bear hope in their renewal.

4

Where is the organisation headed?

Sense International (Romania) is determined to continue its efforts making sure education

services provided to deafblind/MSI children in the special schools in Romania become more and

more professional.

We will also continue implementing the early intervention programme. Our plan is to extend it in

other areas of Romania, training specialists so that they know how to work with newborn babies

and small children. Once this programme becomes a best practice model, we will try including it

in the national health/education system, like we did with the education programme.

In 2012, we will embark on a completely new trail – a programme planned by us as a response to

numerous requests coming from parents and teacher. This programme will be a pilot programme,

developing vocational and pre-professional skills in deafblind teenagers and young adults. We will

work in partnership with two or three schools from the country, our partners in implementing this

programme.

CRISTIANA SALOMIE, Director csalomie@senseint.org.ro

Photo 11 Photo 12 Photo 13 Photo 14

Photo 15 Photo 16 Photo 17 Photo 18

Photo 11 – Gabriela Jianu (Timișoara) Photo 12 – School Centre for Sensory Inclusive Education Oradea Photo 13 – Teachers’ Network Meeting, October 2011, Bucharest Photo 14 – Training course in deafblindness Photo 15 – Newborn baby hearing screening Photo 16 – Specialists team at Oradea Maternity Unit Photo 17 – Monica Marin (Bucharest Early Intervention Support Centre) Photo 18 – Dr. Alexandru Pascu – ENT specialist, audiologist and the team of specialists from Pantelimon Maternity Unit in Bucharest

5

What is deafblindness?

Deafblindness is a severe, multisensory

deficiency (combination of visual and hearing

impairments), most times associated with

other types of disability.

Deafblindness causes major difficulties in the

areas of communication, access to

information, orientation and mobility.

Who does SI(R) work for?

Deafblind children

Multisensory impaired children (MSI)

Deafblind youngsters and adults

Families of deafblind/MSI people

Professionals in the fields of education and health

What is the vision of the organisation?

A world in which all deafblind children and adults can become active members of the

society

Photo 19

Photo 20

Photo 19 – Hydrotherapy in Iaşi Photo 20 – Deafblind/MSI class in Iaşi

6

How does SI(R) work?

SI(R) mission is to work in partnership with deafblind people, their families, carers and

specialists, to make sure they have access to counseling, opportunities and support.

Special schools with

deafblind / MSI

classes Early

Intervention

Support

Centres

Profesori

instruiți de

SI(R)

ETELKA CZONDI, Programmes Coordinator eczondi@senseint.org.ro

7

Teachers

trained

by SI(R)

What does the Early Intervention programme do?

The Early Intervention programme is

developed in partnership with national and

local authorities, kindergartens, maternity

units and schools, supporting the hearing

screening and visual testing of newborn

babies, providing them the chance to

benefit from rehabilitation, recuperation

and early intervention services.

The target group of this programme are deafblind/MSI children aged 0-3 and their

families.

What happened in 2011?

In 2011, Sense International (Romania)

supported the hearing screening of 8,524

babies in 4 maternity units (Bucharest,

Oradea and Timisoara) and the visual testing

of 2,158 babies in these three cities.

Photo 21

Photo 22

Photo 21 – Gabriela Jianu, early intervention specialist, Diana Cozma (mother) and Rareş Photo 22 – Dr. Alexandru Pascu, Dr. Gheorghiţa Sardescu and medical nurse Carmen Aronescu

Who are the beneficiaries?

8

40 children diagnosed with sensory impairments were included in the early intervention

programme, based on individual rehabilitation plans within the early intervention support

centres supported by SI(R) in Bucharest, Oradea and Timisoara.

SI(R) developed the first ever Curriculum for Early

Intervention in Romania, dedicated to specialists

involved in providing recuperation, rehabilitation

and early intervention services to deafblind/MSI

children.

This curriculum was developed by psychologist

Gabriela Maria Jianu, special education teacher Eva

Oprea, psychologist Carolina Biro. Consultants:

Univ. Lect. PhD Andrea Hathazi, special education

teacher PhD Mihaela Adriana Moldovan and

physiotherapist Stela Rodica Todea.

Early Intervention for Deafblind/MSI Children –

Curriculum Proposal, Bucharest, 2012

ISBN: 978-973-7694-84-3

Photo 23 Photo 24 Photo 25

Photo 22 – Early Intervention Support Centre Bucharest Photo 23 – Early Intervention Support Centre Oradea Photo 24 - Early Intervention Support Centre Timişoara

RAMONA ANTONIE - Social Worker, Human Resources Coordinator rantonie@senseint.org.ro

9

The aim of the Education programme is to

improve and develop adequate educational

services for deafblind/MSI children and young

adults in Romania.

It is developed in partnership with the Ministry of

Education, Research, Youth and Sports.

What does the Education programme do?

This project addresses deafblind/MSI children in Romania, their parents and families,

teachers and all specialists involved in their education

What happened in 2011?

October 7, 2011: this is the date when the new

methodology applying the Education Law no.

1/2011 came into force regarding special education

(Ministry Order 5.555/07.10.2011). This law allows

establishing and maintaining deafblind/MSI classes

with a maximum o 4 children,

Who are the beneficiaries?

Photo 25

Photo 26

Photo 25 – Education programme in Iaşi Photo 26 – Teachers’ Network Meeting, March 2011, Oradea

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The importance of an individualized approach in the case of deafblind/MSI

children

SI(R) organised between 19-20 March

2011, in Oradea, the teachers’ network

meeting, bringing together special

education teachers and specialists

working with deafblind/MSI children. The

meeting theme was the importance of an

individualized approach in the case of

deafblind/MSI children.

Among the participants, there were representatives of the Ministry of Education, Research,

Youth and Sports, School Inspectorates from Bucharest, Timis and Bihor, as well as special

education teachers from Bucharest, Buzău, Cluj Napoca, Craiova, Fălticeni, Iaşi Oradea,

Sibiu and Timişoara.

Curriculum for deafblindness/MSI – between theory and practice

The event was organised between October 28-29, in

Bucharest. Besides special education teachers from

Bucharest, Buzău, Craiova, Fălticeni, Iaşi, Oradea, Târgu

Frumos and Timişoara, the meeting was also attended by

Prof. Cristian Alexandrescu, General Inspector and Prof.

Romeo Adrian Cozma, Inspector for Special Education from

the Bucharest School Inspectorate, as well as James

Thornberry, Director of Sense International UK.

TEODORA SEICIUC PR/Communication Coordinator tseiciuc@senseint.org.ro

Photo 27

Photo 28

Photo 26 – Teachers’ Network Meeting, March 2011, Oradea Photo 27 – teachers’ Network Meeting, October 2011, Bucharest

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BALANCE LEI

ON 31.12.2010 48.585

INCOME 2011 586.500

EXPENDITURE 2011 597.360

BALANCE ON 31.12.2011 37.725

George Salomie Finance Coordinator gsal@senseint.org.ro

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PARTENERS

INTERNATIONAL Sense UK

Sense International UK ERSTE Foundation

The International Women’s Association of Bucharest (IWA) James Tudor Foundation

Medicor Foundation Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation

Beatrice Laing Trust Haramead Trust

First International Group

NATIONAL Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports

Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity Babeş – Bolyai University, Special Education Department

Kindergarten for Children with Hearing Impairments Bucharest School for Children with Visual Impairments Bucharest

Special School no.6 "Sf. Nicolae" Bucharest School for Children with Hearing Impairments no. 2 "Sf. Maria" Bucharest

School Centre for Inclusive Education "C. Pufan" Timişoara Theoretical High School "Iris" Timişoara

High School for Children with Visual Impairments Cluj Napoca High School for Children with Hearing Impairments Cluj Napoca

Special School for Children with Hearing Impairments Buzău Special Kindergarten Fălticeni

High School "Moldova" for Children with Visual Impairments Târgu Frumos School Centre for Inclusive Education no. 2 Sibiu

School Centre for Inclusive Sensory Education Oradea Vasile Pavelcu School Iasi

School for Arts and Crafts Paul Popescu Neveanu Galati School Centre for Children with Hearing Impairments Craiova

Bucharest School Inspectorate School Inspectorate Bihor, School Inspectorate Timis

Emergency Hospital St. Pantelimon Bucharest Obstetrics – Gynaecology Clinical Hospital Dr. Ioan Cantacuzino in Bucharest

Obstetrics – Gynaecology Clinical Hospital Oradea Obstetrics – Gynaecology Clinical Hospital Dr. Dumitru Popescu Timisoara

General Department for Social Work and Child Protection Bucharest, Sector 1 and 3 General Department for Social Work and Child Protection Bihor General Department for Social Work and Child Protection Timis

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HOW CAN YOU HELP?SPONSORSHIPS and DONATIONS CAN BE MADE IN :

LEI ACCOUNT:RO05 RNCB 0077 0502 3229 0001 opened with BCR Sector 6

EURO ACCOUNT:RO48 RNCB 0077 0502 3229 0003 opened with BCR Sector 6

DIRECTING 2% OF INCOME TAXOrganisation name:

SENSE INTERNATIONAL (ROMÂNIA) Fiscal Identification Code: 13833304

Account (IBAN): RO05 RNCB 0077 0502 3229 0001

Sense International (Romania)Bvd. Timişoara, no. 27 Block D, Ent. B, Apt. 23, Sector 6, Bucharest

Ph/fax: 0040 21 413 90 40 Ph: 0040 311 075 236www.surdocecitate.ro

www.facebook.com/SenseInternationalRomania