The Eight Points project - a Complex Innovation Funded by EU

Background: The number autism diagnoses tripled in the last years in our country. This tendency puts both services and public authorities into a difficult situation: they meet more and more people with autism-specific needs.... [ view full abstract ]

Background: The number autism diagnoses tripled in the last years in our country. This tendency puts both services and public authorities into a difficult situation: they meet more and more people with autism-specific needs. To tackle these challenges, the Government adopted a national Autism Strategy and the EU-funded project ‘Eight-Points’ was launched in 2013-2015.
Methodology: The project aimed to better the lives of people with autism and their families through carrying out professional work along eight sub-goals. During the EU-funded project as a result of the professional activities a nation-wide network of professionals, an online autism-information system and database of services, quality principals of services formed. Parallel with these processes the project trained hundreds of professionals, and to improved services in education, healthcare and social services.
Results: Overall more than 500 professionals were trained at 18 accredited training events, 3 conferences were held for an audience of 400, 2500 pages of scientific literature were translated to national language, 37 care institutions were supported by professional consultants. The competency of 500 parents was developed and a 100 families were involved at a leisure activity on the children’s railway. We had established the set of criteria for autism-specific services for the key areas, and an autism information website and coordination center.
Perspectives: A small Autism Coordination Office founded to maintain the project results, to build a bridge between the national stakeholders/the civil suppliers and the service-users, and to generate new forms of cooperation.