Nearly 40% of disabled children in India do not receive any formal education. This project in Tamil Nadu will establish 3 community caring centres which 55 disabled children aged 5-12 will attend. They will receive personalised special education and therapy from specially trained local staff which will target their physical, communication, cognitive and social development. While their children are learning, the mothers will have free time to rest, attend to household tasks or earn an income.
In India, there are few effective and appropriate support structures nor specialist teacher training to provide education that meets the needs of disabled children. Opportunities to develop cognitive, social and physical growth are poor for children with disabilities in India, and nearly 40% do not attend formal education. The onus is often on the carer - usually the child's mother - to provide full-time care which means she must forgo work, income and her own social opportunities.
The 3 locally run community caring centres (CCCs) will provide specialist education and care to disabled children who are otherwise excluded and isolated. Each child will received a bespoke educational and therapy programme and have the chance to interact with other children and adults. In this way, their skills will develop and they will work towards integration into mainstream education. The centre staff and mothers will receive training from a nationally accredited special education provider
The project will enable disabled children to meet their long term potential and equip their mothers with skills to further promote their child's development at home. The respite provided to the mothers will allow them to focus on going back to work and strengthen their family's financial situation. Training local staff will mean expertise remains in the centres and in the project area for the long term. Showing that disabled children can learn will be a positive example to other local providers.
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