 The Centre for Education and Professional Development
(CEDP) is a non-governmental organization that
was formed in 1998 to continue operating the Step
by Step program, which was first implemented in
Romania in 1994. CEDP is a member of the Soros
Open Network committed to the promotion of democratic
principles in education and child protection.
CEDP provides teachers, parents, and professionals
from the child protection network and educational
development with access to state-of-the-art training
and technical assistance. CEDP specializes in consultancy
to local authorities, NGOs and individuals, offering
training, conferences, web based resources, and
creating and promoting specialized magazines. CEDP
aims to:
- assist and help develop the existing training
centers
- engage local communities in dialogue with the
government on their need for high quality infant
and toddler care and education services
- develop local partnerships in order to assure
local capacity and ownership;
- initiate, develop and support partnerships
and networking in order to create its own capacity
for financial self sustainability
- function as a resource center in the field
of child protection (focusing on 0-3 age group)
- function as a resource center for all schools
interested in implementing child centered methodologies
for creches, preschool, primary school, lower
secondary school and Pedagogical Institutes by
supporting self sustainable Model Training Centers
Since its inception, CEDP has provided training
in child-centered teaching methods to over 950
preschool and 600 primary school teachers, through
workshops operated by a network of 18 model training
centers, and has trained 62 faculty members at
22 universities and teacher training institutes.
Currently 10 creches, 763 preschool classrooms
and 326 primary school classrooms operate the Step
by Step program, reaching over 27,000 children
and their families, including 800 children with
disabilities, 800 Roma children, and close to 2,000
children from other minority groups. CEDP also
focuses on assuring a smooth transition for children
from the child centered primary grades to the 5th
grade.
CEDP holds publication rights for all Step by
Step materials in Romania, including 9 methodologies;
50 training modules on different topics such as
inclusion children with disabilities, parenting,
and advocacy; 9 higher education courses and curricular
materials; 4 standards and assessment tools; and
4 individual assessment books for primary education.
All materials were translated and printed in order
to support the activities developed throughout
the country.
Among the local partners with whom CEDP collaborates
are the Ministry of Education and Research, the
Ministry of Family and Health, the National Authority
for Child Protection and Adoption, the County School
Inspectorates, the County Child Protection Departments
and Public Health Departments, and City Halls.
Support is also provided by many foreign entities,
including UNICEF, USAID and OSI. |
