The conditions for early years development in the system of public education is very weak in Hungary. In particular, with regard to the disadvantaged regions in Hungary, the institutional system of early years is not yet established. Even when it is established, professionals are often lacking possibilities of professional development. REYN Hungary is focusing on these regions and offers course for professional development of staff working with Romani and/or disadvantaged children
The number of Roma professionals in Early Childhood Education (ECE)
The percentage of Romani professionals in the sector is extremely low. REYN Hungary offers for one Romani professional staff a scholarship and employment at an early years institution in 2017. Moreover, REYN also conducts an online survey and an advocacy campaign to increase the number of Romani ECE professionals.
Multisectoral cooperation
Multisector cooperation between institutional systems and professionals is lacking; especially in the fields of early childhood development, education, social affairs, and healthcare institutions, primarily at local, municipal level. With REYN advocacy campaign and professional development, cooperation will be tailored to multisectoral cooperation and professional development. REYN encourages that civil society organizations should be involved in multisectoral cooperation in the area of ECE with special attention to Romani and/or disadvantaged children.
Ministerial coordination
There is no organizational unit with strong weight in the institutional coordination of early development needs at the ministerial level. This unit must be established in the ministry responsible for education. REYN Hungary launched an advocacy campaign to reach this goal at the end of 2016.
What REYN Hungary does:
- Building a strong inclusive professional learning community among Romani and non-Romani ECD practitioners working with Romani children by developing members’ competencies and capacities.
- Increasing the number of Romani practitioners and their reputation and visibility on the national and local level in order to improve quality and equity of ECD provisions.
- Advocating for inclusive policies and practices, for cross-sectoral activities in the area of ECD, and for increasing the number of Roma ECE practitioners.
REYN Hungary has 507 individual members, mainly preschool educators and health visitors. There are also 22 organizational members, mostly non-governmental organizations active in the field of early childhood development.
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