On April 23, 2025, a conference addressing early intervention was held in Odesa. Participants included city officials, health care providers, psychologists, and parents of children receiving early intervention services.

The conference was opened by Odesa's mayor, Hennadii Trukhanov, who emphasized the city's ongoing development of a comprehensive support system for children with developmental disorders and their families.

«Early intervention is a partnership with families. Professionals provide support during challenging times and help organize daily activities together. The primary goal is for every child to be happy, develop, and have all conditions for self-actualization. This is a key part of the city's efforts to create a barrier-free environment in Odesa that is comfortable for all residents», — noted Hennadii Trukhanov.

Early intervention is a comprehensive service provided to families raising children at risk of developmental disorders in early and preschool age.

This service allows for timely detection of potential developmental issues and creates conditions for their correction and adaptation of the child to societal life.

Odesa was one of the leading cities to join the pilot project of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine «Creating a System for Providing Early Intervention Services to Ensure Child Development, Health, and Life». Currently, early intervention services are included in the City Target Program «Barrier-Free Odesa».

The Department of Health of the Odesa City Council has initiated developmental screenings for children up to three years old in all city pediatric clinics and the Children's Consultative and Diagnostic Center named after acad. B.Ya. Reznik.

In 2024, screenings were conducted for 10,396 children, which allowed for the identification of developmental disorders in 1,279 children, 512 of whom were referred for early intervention services.

Early intervention centers and departments operate in four children's medical facilities. In 2024, 197 families were monitored by early intervention specialists, with all children showing positive developmental dynamics.

Last year, multidisciplinary teams from early intervention centers conducted 1,713 interactions with families, including 349 home visits, 705 online meetings, and 659 outpatient visits.

Considering the growing demand for services, further development of the network of early intervention centers is planned for 2025, which will be able to assist 350 families.

For the first time in 2025, the City Target Program «Barrier-Free Odesa» includes salaries for early intervention team workers.

The program also includes educational events for members of multidisciplinary teams, parents, medical and social workers, as well as initiatives to raise public awareness about the accessibility of early intervention services in Odesa.