The adapted preschool education programme is intended for the upbringing and education of children with special needs who, on the basis of a placement decision and a professional assessment, are enrolled in a developmental group within a kindergarten. It enables the implementation of individualized pedagogical approaches, special educational support, and interdisciplinary cooperation among professionals. The fundamental objectives of the adapted programme are to promote the child’s holistic development in accordance with their individual needs, potentials, and abilities; to ensure an adapted, safe, and stimulating environment; and to support social inclusion in line with each child’s capabilities. The COVID-19 epidemic revealed that many governments and the global community were not adequately prepared to manage such a rapid, extensive, long-lasting, and complex health crisis. Despite national plans and strategic documents for epidemic management, significant shortcomings became apparent in practice, particularly in the areas of timely and unified decision-making, coordination of measures and recommendations, coordination among institutions, and the limited involvement of individual professional fields. In my master’s thesis, I examined the impact of epidemiological measures and recommendations on the implementation of education and care in the developmental group of the Jesenice Kindergarten. The research results indicate that compliance with the measures significantly affected the course, continuity, and organization of work. Above all, the measures and recommendations were insufficiently adapted to the needs of one of the most vulnerable groups—children with special needs—since their developmental, emotional, and social needs were not adequately taken into account. This, in turn, affected education and care as well as the well-being of the children, professionals, and parents of children with special needs. The study also showed that, despite additional burdens and changed working conditions, professional staff made considerable efforts to maintain the quality and continuity of educational work. However, they frequently encountered organizational challenges, psychological and physical strain, and a lack of professional support. Their efforts partially mitigated the negative effects of epidemiological measures on the educational process and highlighted the importance of the autonomy and professional judgement of kindergarten staff in times of crisis.
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