Children with disabilities are first and foremost children and should be accepted and loved; they should go to kindergarten or school, socialise with their peers and live a fulfilling life. But in order to achieve this, they need additional support through quality health and social care and continued access to therapies that are crucial for their development. There are more than 45,000 children and young people with disabilities living in Croatia, but those who need help the most face obstacles more often because important services and therapies are not available to everyone in an equal way. In addition, stigma, discrimination and invisible barriers to the inclusion of children and young people with disabilities into the life of the community are still present in society.

One of the important services for children with disabilities are day care centres, where children can get help from speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists and other specialists. In day care centres, children with disabilities also have the opportunity to socialise with their peers in group therapy, and learn and acquire different skills that will help them be more independent. There, their parents can get professional support as well because they face special challenges raising children with disabilities.

Thanks to donations from companies and citizens, this year, UNICEF will invest in Croatia in order to improve the services of day care centres, group psychosocial support and support for families of children with disabilities in the counties where currently there are no or extremely limited services available.