During the FIA World Rally Championship stage Tet Rally Latvia, we invite you to donate to the Latvian Children's Support Foundation. The funds raised will be used to create/develop a social rehabilitation facility for children with special needs. Within this facility, a sensory gym, a quiet room, and specialist rooms will be established to provide daily support and enhance knowledge for at least 70 families.

The Latvian Children's Support Foundation has shown significant growth and development by providing essential support to children with special needs in Latvia. The initiatives and services of this foundation have become a vital resource for families grappling with various challenges related to children who experience communication difficulties, behavioural disorders, or other specific needs.

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The Latvian Children's Support Foundation has been operating since January 26, 1994. Initially, its primary goal was to assist orphaned children and children with special needs who spent their daily lives in special boarding schools and children's homes in remote areas of Latvia. The founders of the foundation at that time, Sandra and Juris, also met the current director of the foundation, Kaspars Markševics, who was living in the Alsunga Children's Home.

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Over the past five years, the foundation has experienced significant growth and development. It has established the "Higher Than Ground" children's play and development centre, where all proceeds continue to be directed towards achieving the foundation's goals and supporting special schools. Additionally, at the end of 2019, the foundation opened the first social rehabilitation service, "Path to Self" in Jugla, initially providing psychosocial support to 24 families. This year marks the fifth year since the Latvian Children's Support Foundation has been providing assistance to residents of Rīga who have children with communication difficulties and behavioural disorders (aggressive children). In 2021, the multifunctional centre "Domino" opened in Iļģuciems, where similar services were provided, benefiting a total of 48 families on both sides of the Daugava river. Currently, as the fifth service season begins, support can be provided to 60 families with children exhibiting deviant behaviour. However, the existing capacity, primarily in terms of space, does not allow for support to be extended to a larger number of families.

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In 2022, the multifunctional centre "Domino" opened its second phase, where the scope of support was expanded by establishing Latvia's first sensory gym. In the second-phase premises, the second social rehabilitation service is currently being provided as well, implementing an ESF (European Social Fund) project to support 40 children with functional impairments and disabilities, as well as providing support to their parents.

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Unfortunately, children with communication difficulties and behavioural disorders are increasingly recognized and diagnosed in Latvia, which, on one hand, is positive as they can receive necessary support more quickly. However, for the third consecutive year, there are families left "behind the line" in the service, because there is simply no physical space available. In collaboration with the Welfare and Property Departments of the Riga City Council, premises on Burtnieku Street have been identified. However, significant financial resources are needed to establish and adapt these spaces for children, including the creation of a sensory gym on the right bank of the Daugava river.

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With the opening of the centre on Burtnieku Street, the Latvian Children's Support Foundation will not only be able to expand the number of children receiving social services (providing places for at least 36 children, which is 12 more children than currently accommodated), but also develop a new service. Discussions are underway with the Latvian Autism Society regarding the development of a service for children with autism spectrum disorder.

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