In 2025, the Hemmersbach Kids’ Family Foundation, in cooperation with its partners, carried out a social awareness campaign under the slogan “Support Begins with Diagnosis.”
The campaign aimed to raise awareness of developmental difficulties in children and young people, highlight the importance of early and accurate diagnosis, and show how well-planned support can truly change the life of a child and their entire family.
The campaign was addressed to parents, caregivers, and professionals working with children and adolescents. Below, we present a summary of the activities and explain why talking about the diagnosis of developmental difficulties is so important.
What Was the Campaign About?
For many years, we have supported children and young people growing up in foster care. Working closely with caregivers and specialists, we observe how often developmental difficulties go unnoticed, are underestimated, or misinterpreted.
The lack of a proper diagnosis may lead to escalating emotional, educational, and social problems and deepen the sense of helplessness experienced by both children and adults.
A reliable diagnosis, however, is not a label or a verdict — it is a starting point for understanding a child’s needs and planning effective support. Knowledge, attentiveness, and appropriate diagnostic processes open the way to real change and the building of a safe future.
The main goals of the campaign were to:
- raise awareness of developmental difficulties and the importance of accurate diagnosis,
- educate parents, caregivers, and specialists on recognizing early warning signs,
- show that diagnosis can become an opportunity to improve the functioning of the child and the entire family,
- provide free developmental diagnostics for children and adolescents in foster care.
Who Did the Campaign Support?
The “Support Begins with Diagnosis” campaign supported:
- parents, caregivers, and specialists — helping them better understand developmental difficulties, recognize early signs, and respond consciously to a child’s needs,
- children and adolescents in foster care — who were able to benefit from professional, free diagnostic services at the HKF Child Development Support Center in Wrocław.
Practical Support for Children and Adolescents
The campaign had a strong, practical dimension focused on real and direct help.
Thanks to the commitment of the Hemmersbach Kids’ Family Foundation, 74 free diagnostic assessments for children and adolescents in foster care were funded.
Diagnostics were carried out at the HKF Child Development Support Center in Wrocław and covered a wide range of developmental areas. The most frequently identified difficulties included:
- ADHD,
- autism spectrum (ADOS-2),
- auditory processing disorders (Neuroflow),
- sensory integration (SI),
- FASD,
- level of intellectual functioning,
- learning difficulties, including dyslexia.
Children and young people aged 1 to 18 years participated in the diagnostic program. Most participants were boys, and the beneficiaries came mainly from foster care in Wrocław and surrounding areas.
For many families and caregivers, receiving a diagnosis was a turning point. It helped them organize previous challenges, better understand the child’s behavior, and plan appropriate therapeutic and educational support. Diagnosis became a guidepost enabling informed decisions and the creation of safe conditions for healthy development.
Educational Activities Within the Campaign
As part of the campaign, we implemented a range of educational activities aimed at providing reliable knowledge and practical support tools.
Publications
We published articles dedicated to:
- developmental difficulties — what they are and how they may manifest,
- early warning signs in children and how to respond,
- the diagnostic and support process — presented as a practical, step-by-step guide.
Interviews and Conversations
We conducted interviews with:
- Agnieszka Sułkowska — mother and creator of the project “Autyzm po ludzku” (Autism, Human-Centered),
- Dr Agnieszka Lasota — child psychologist and academic lecturer.
The conversations focused on viewing diagnosis as an opportunity to better understand a child and their needs.
A Story Where Diagnosis Was the Beginning
We shared the story of one of the Hemmersbach Kids’ Family Foundation’s beneficiaries. Roksana’s story shows how crucial a properly made diagnosis can be — and how it can become the beginning of real change in a child’s life.
Free Educational Materials
We made free publications available, including:
- the educational guide “Child Development – What Is Worth Knowing?”,
- “A Letter to R.”,
- “A Guide for Parents After an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis” by Agnieszka Sułkowska.
Educational Webinar
We organized a free webinar titled “Diagnosis Is an Opportunity – Early Symptoms of Developmental Difficulties,” led by Dr Agnieszka Lasota.
Participants learned how to recognize early signs of developmental challenges, understand them in the context of a child’s functioning, and why diagnosis is the beginning of effective support — not a sentence.
Video Materials
As part of the campaign, we recorded videos with therapists from the HKF Child Development Support Center in Wrocław. Specialists explained what the diagnostic process looks like and why support should always start with a reliable assessment of a child’s needs.
Hemmersbach Kids’ Family Foundation and Campaign Partners
The Hemmersbach Kids’ Family Foundation supports children and adolescents in foster care in Poland and India. In Poland, we focus on ensuring access to therapeutic, medical, and educational support. We have created a free e-learning platform dedicated to foster care and organize webinars and training sessions to strengthen caregivers’ competencies.
Campaign Partners
- HKF Child Development Support Center in Wrocław — providing professional diagnostics and comprehensive psychological and therapeutic support.
- HKFedu — an educational platform supporting the development of parents’, caregivers’, and specialists’ competencies in the field of children’s and adolescents’ mental health.
- Hemmersbach— a socially engaged IT company donating 20% of its annual profits to support initiatives where public systems fail.
- “Autyzm po ludzku” — a project supporting parents of children on the autism spectrum by providing practical tools, knowledge, and emotional support.
We would like to thank all individuals and institutions who supported our efforts and joined us in showing that support truly starts with diagnosis.
