The third rehabilitation course for families with children with disabilities from Donbass has been completed in the Shakhty diocese. This is a joint project of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service and the social department of the Shakhty diocese. From September 9 to 16, 2024, five families — ten people — underwent rehabilitation at the Berega Center for Children with disabilities. The families received consultations from specialists of the mobile mobile brigade of the Dobrodeya Rehabilitation and Habilitation Center in Shakhty. As part of the rehabilitation, educational psychologists, social educators, speech pathologists and representatives of the clergy worked with children and their parents. Bishop Simon of Shakhty and Miller also visited the rehabilitation participants. The bishop gave each family a set of educational games for children as a gift.
"Everyone involved in our project is trying to help mothers and children so that they can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a loving family. We create such conditions for children and mothers to open up, become friends and be ready for group therapy. It is very important for us that the center is located on the territory of the temple, and spiritual conversations are held with mothers. During the divine service, we create conditions that take into account the characteristics of disabled children," said Priest Vladislav Kasyanov, head of the social department of the Shakhty diocese and the diocesan Center for Children with Disabilities "Berega".
The program of stay of each group of families with children with disabilities is designed for seven days. It includes free accommodation and meals. A socio-medical, psychological and pedagogical consultation is held for each child, routing is compiled, and recommendations are given on the issues of upbringing, development and rehabilitation of the child. Also during these days, families take classes on the assistance program, have the opportunity to spend leisure time at the recreation center "Venice", in the landscape park "Loga" and pray for the Divine Liturgy in the church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Special attention is paid to mothers here, since they are the ones who take care of the child's health and needs. Training seminars, individual and group classes with Orthodox psychologists, and conversations with a priest are held for them at the Bereg Center.
The work also includes specialists from the St. John of Kronstadt Center — full-time and engaged correctional psychologists, whose task is to acquire the skill of parents in the correct implementation of the recommendations of specialists. Also, for parents raising children with disabilities, the project provides training modules that provide an opportunity to expand knowledge in the development, correction and upbringing of their children. After returning home, all participants will have the opportunity to consult with specialists remotely.
Volunteers — students of the Kamensk Medical College and parishioners of churches - help with daily household issues, care and classes with children.
"The uniqueness of this program is that to help families with children with disabilities, the efforts of both secular and ecclesiastical specialists have been combined: the mobile mobile brigade of the Dobrodeya State Rehabilitation and Habilitation Center, the non-profit organization St. John of Kronstadt Center, the clergy of the Shakhty diocese, students of the Kamensk Medical College and parishioners of churches. Much attention is paid to helping mothers of children with disabilities, and this is put in a significant place in the program. In a short time, they are helped to realize and understand ways to solve the spiritual, psychological and social problems of the whole family," said Veronika Leontieva, head of the department of assistance to people with disabilities.
The Bereg Center for Families with Children with Disabilities started working in May. He appeared at the courtyard of the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the village of Staraya Stanitsa in the Loga Park as part of the social project of the Shakhty diocese "City of Angels". The project is being implemented by the autonomous non-profit organization Complex Center for Social Initiatives named after St. John of Kronstadt, the founder of which is the Shakhty Diocese represented by Bishop Simon of Shakhty and Miller. During this time, 15 families with children with disabilities have been rehabilitated — 30 mothers with children.
Today there are over 400 Orthodox organizations in Russia that help children and adults with disabilities.