Russia: new development programme for those dealing with disability
Russia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has introduced professional development programmes on early intervention and assisted living
07.08.2026
Article published on the ASI website
These courses are designed for social workers, psychologists, speech and language therapists, special needs teachers and other professionals working in the field of rehabilitation and social support.
The Ministry has prepared standard professional development programmes for specialists in providing assisted living for people with disabilities and early intervention to support children, which have been released for public consultation.
According to the Ministry, the development and introduction of these training sessions are part of the implementation of the law on comprehensive rehabilitation. They are standard teaching and methodological resources that outline the course content and how further professional training may be obtained.
“Documents have been drafted that draw on the best domestic practices in inter-disciplinary collaboration. For example, working with families that have young children will involve setting service goals and putting together an individually-tailored activity programme, based on the results of a child’s developmental assessment. Specialists providing assisted living services for people with disabilities will, in turn, learn how to evaluate the development of their social, daily living, mobility and communication skills and so determine the extent and frequency of the support required”, said Dmitry Ligomina, Deputy Labour and Social Protection Minister.
The courses are intended for social workers, clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists, special needs teachers, social educators, carers, rehab specialists and heads of social organisations.
The professional development programme on early support for children and their families comprises five modules. Upon completion of the training, professionals will be able to prepare individually-based, early intervention programmes, set support objectives, allocate tasks within an inter-disciplinary team and assess the results of their work.
The standard programme for assisted living for people with disabilities has four modules, covering the legal framework, evaluation of a person’s need for assisted living, organising an accessible environment in residential facilities and psychological support.
