Prospects for inclusive education in European countries emerging from economic and other trauma: Serbia and Albania

Empowering schools to serve as safety nets for children with behavior problems in Serbia

“…Children with moderate to severe behavior problems and other special needs were also often placed in institutions for their "resocialization" (i.e., rehabilitation) under the purview of the Serbian Ministries of Labor and Social Policy or Justice (Ilic, 2008). Similar residential special education and resocialization approaches have been practiced by other countries in eastern and southern Europe up until the past two decades (Ajdinski & Florian, 1997;Csanyi, 2001;Radoman et al, 2006). Furthermore, Serbia, like many countries in the region, has struggled with delays and obstructions in its educational reform efforts due to multiple political and economic factors (Radoman et al, 2006).…”

“…Historically, the various ministries have acted unilaterally and have had poor cooperation with one another. More recently, several Serbian Ministries, working closely with international development agencies, have made strides in reducing the stigmatization of these children, by emphasizing their rehabilitation needs (i.e., rather than their problem behavior) in new classification and intervention models (Radoman et al, 2006). Education, social service, and juvenile justice professionals in Serbia have shifted their focus from providing institutional care to these children to developing a continuum of community services for at risk youth and those with special needs.…”

“…Some of these labeling efforts in the United States reflect an effort to focus on the behavior rather than the individual, and to use more constructive descriptions of problem behavior in an effort to reduce the historical stigmatization of these children. A similar effort is underway in Serbia as international development agencies work with the Serbian government to reform institutions and programs that address a variety of societal problems exacerbated by two devastating decades of military, political, and economic turmoil (Radoman et al, 2006).…”

“…A formal review of reform initiatives aimed at developing special education services within the Serbian public education system is hindered by the paucity of government reports and professional literature systematically describing this process (Colin & Markovic, 2004;Radoman, Nano, & Closs, 2006). Rather, available documents describe short-term reform periods and circumscribed projects that were prepared by frequently transitioning Serbian governments, with the guidance of international organizations (e.g., UNESCO) (Serbian Ministry of Education & Sports, 2001, 2005.…”

“…Historically, special education services in Serbia have been provided by the Ministry of Education to children and adults with moderate to severe cognitive deficits and/or developmental delays in large institutions often in remote rural areas far from their families (Radoman et al, 2006). Children with moderate to severe behavior problems and other special needs were also often placed in institutions for their "resocialization" (i.e., rehabilitation) under the purview of the Serbian Ministries of Labor and Social Policy or Justice (Ilic, 2008).…”