First M‑POWER Project Meeting and Multiplier Event: A Step Forward in Supporting Families of Children with Special Needs

On 27–28 April 2026, the first in‑person multiplier event and meeting of the international M‑POWER project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, took place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The event was hosted by the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB).

The first day was dedicated to sharing experience and raising awareness about the project. The event brought together more than 40 participants, including university lecturers, students, and early intervention professionals. Four partner countries are involved in the M‑POWER project: Bulgaria, Romania, the Netherlands, and Italy, joining their expertise to empower families of young children with disabilities.

Prof. Andrea Hatazi (UBB) opened the event with a detailed presentation of the M‑POWER mission. She highlighted the creation of valuable educational resources designed to help parents feel confident in supporting their children’s development, celebrating every small achievement along the way.

The lecture by Assoc. Prof. Carolina Bodea-Hategan focused on screening in early intervention. She discussed specific real‑life scenarios, emphasizing the critical importance of early identification of developmental difficulties. The discussion also addressed how up-to-date screening tools can be adapted to ensure a faster pathway to appropriate therapy.

The Babeș-Bolyai University team shared the first results from surveys conducted among parents and professionals, presented by Prof. Carmen Costea-Bărluțiu. The clearest trends revealed a strong need for support groups for families in Romania. These findings sparked a lively discussion among attending professionals about the systemic barriers they face – highlighting that current legislation often limits their ability to provide direct support to parents, making the role of projects like M‑POWER even more significant in finding alternative solutions.

The teams are currently working intensively on summarizing the results. By the end of May, the project team at Babeș-Bolyai University will finalize the processing of all data. This will lead to the publication of a key resource for this stage: the Comparative Analysis Report on Support Systems and Family Needs.

This publication will serve as a “roadmap” for developing the training materials in the next phases of the project, aimed at building resilience and capacity among parents.

On the second day of our visit, we had the pleasure of visiting Liceul pentru Deficienţi de Auz Cluj-Napoca – a school with long-standing traditions in Romania, dedicated to the holistic development of children with hearing impairments and their successful social integration.

We were deeply impressed by the high level of work and the dedication of the team. We were especially inspired by the early intervention programmes, which lay a strong foundation for children’s development from the earliest age. The individual approach to each child, as well as the attention and support provided to their families, stand as an example of modern and effective educational practice.

We were also impressed by the excellent collaboration with Babeș-Bolyai University, through which lecturers and specialists – including from the Department of Special Psychopedagogy – actively contribute to the training of future professionals. This partnership is a true privilege for students and future practitioners, who have the opportunity to learn in a real environment and gain experience from established experts.

We met exceptional professionals who work with mission and heart. We are grateful for the warm welcome and the shared experience of the entire team, led by Nicoleta Dunca.

Many more such meetings lie ahead within the M‑POWER project, through which we will continue to identify and develop good practices and build resilience in families of children with developmental challenges. This is a key step toward a better future for every child.