Enhancing Care for Children with Special Needs at Samerth Talim Kendra
Samerth Talim Kendra, a day care center for mentally and physically challenged children in Juhapura, Ahmedabad, has shown remarkable progress in improving the care and education provided to its students. Through innovative approaches such as improved assessment techniques, goal setting, and the introduction of advanced care methods, the center has helped children reach developmental milestones faster. Additionally, initiatives like vocational training and daily therapies have contributed to a more holistic approach towards the children's wellbeing. Supported by Asha, Samerth Talim Kendra continues to make a positive impact on the lives of these vulnerable children and their families.
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Samerth Talim Kendra 2018 Budget Proposal Project Timeline: January 2018 December 2018
Background Samerth Trust is a not for profit organization. Set up in 1992 with a mission to work with the poor and the marginalized. Samerth location of work: Ahmedabad, Kutch, Chhattisgarh Samerth works in areas: Education, Women empowerment, Water security, livelihood education, Tribal empowerment Samerth Talim Kendra: Started in 2006. A day care center for the mentally and physically challenged children in Juhapura Ahmedabad. Juhapura is a Muslim majority area. Muslims migrated after communal riots of Gujarat from other parts of Ahmedabad. Focus communities: poor minorities, marginalized & migrant sections of the society. Reasons for disability: High levels of pollution, lack of nutrition due to poverty and lack of awareness, consanguineous marriages and lack of prenatal and postnatal care. Supported by ASHA since end of year 2016. Kids increased from 42 to 58.
Asha Impact Specially designated caregivers: 2 dedicated experienced teachers with Government recognized Diploma course in Special Education and Mental Retardation. 1 teacher for Art & Crafts and 1 teacher as support staff Everyday Therapies (Physio and Speech) has helped children attain growth milestones at a faster speed. Regular checkups by audiologists and Psychotherapist for children. STK staff and parents/caregivers are also trained by these experts. Vocational center: STK started experiment with a vocational unit for students 2 years ago to make them independent to the extent possible. Paper plate, roti making, Kakhara making, jewel making, garland making. Paper plate and roti making have been a great success. Gruh finance (CSR funding) and GCSRA (Government body) have started supporting the effort. 12 STK students are in training and look forward to a financially secure future.
Roti Making Paper bowl making and packing Garland Making
Improved assessment techniques and Goal Setting: Previously, each child was assessed with its caregiver at the centre, parent/guardian & medical expert. These techniques have now been improved and made more scientific. Six areas of development have been broken into smaller goals viz, Motor skills, ADL(Activities of daily living), Linguistic skills, reading/writing skills, Social skills, Pre vocational skills are now assessed through scientifically developed kit and questionnaire. A goal chart is made of each child and each of his goals that are analyzed quarterly. Introduction of technically advanced care: Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Social Stories, Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), Sensory Integration; Use of Technological Devices and Educational Software, Structured Environment and Daily Schedules, Individualized Education and Therapy Plans and Learning through computers has helped our children make remarkable progress.
Asha Impact contd.. Daily nutrition: The support from Asha has given credibility to the Kendra and few more donors have come forward to contribute to the well being of STK children. These are: Baal Daan (US based organization) & Cliantha (CSR) have contributed towards daily nutrition to the children. Eating Sukhdi (an Indian sweet packed with healthy nutrients) Drinking milk
Asha Impact contd.. Furniture and Equipments: Added new furniture, specially designed for the children, so now instead of sitting on the floor, they proudly sit on their new chairs. Apart from that we have also added new indoor activity a games, and added special chair for Children with Cerebral Palsy which designed for optimal health and function.
Asha Impact contd.. Several teacher training and exposure visits. This has helped the teachers broaden their horizon to observe and learn new techniques and strategies in the field. These visits have also forged long lasting associations helping Samerth to become part of bigger networks. Visits to: Blind People Association (Sumeru) , Helen Keller Institute (Mumbai), Ashirwad Viklang trust (Sayla), Upasana Viklang Kendra (Surendranagar), Bahuviklang Badak Trust (limbdi)..etc
STK concerns STK has fallen into a road broadening area. Half of the rented building falls is in an illegal land zone. They are actively working on searching a new location. They will know the decision when the road work will start after March 31st 2018 post municipal budget is released.
Site Visit 2018 Site visit was completed in January 2018 by Asha Volunteer Naren. 1. Are there any other org. similar to STK providing services around the area and which one is the nearest. None around 20km radius 2. How many families around the area has disabled child? They don t have the census info. But STK does regular visit to all homes in the area to check for child that is challenged. 3. What s occupation of the parents ? Rickshaw driver, construction worker, day job workers 4. How often teachers meet the parents? Some every week and some every other week. Most parents volunteer in someway at STK 5. Is all the expenses covered in the budget? Yes in fact it has helped children to receive regular therapy - speech therapy / other psychological therapy - because of Asha s funding Their main expense is for Therapy, Salary and Transportation (Daily rickshaw ride from home to STK for the children) 6. What are the things / changes the management and teachers think would improve STK , students for years to come? -Need to expand the facility since its maxed out at the moment. Management looking for another building for future expansion. - Some students couldn t graduate on time because need more help and readiness before facing the real world 7. Special education teachers - 2 full-time at the moment. 8. STK serves as 2 in 1, education center for mentally challenged and also as day care so that parents can go and earn. Low wage worker so both parents need to work. 9. Skills training is emphasized - to make the children ready and self sufficient as much as possible 10. New challenges for teachers and students - the earlier students are entering puberty and some exhibit sexual behavior in public and they need to be educated & trained. 11. My Suggestion to STK : To have daily physical activity for the children to move around and mental be stronger with participation in sports. (STK team liked the idea and planned to implement it)
2018 Proposal: Therapies: A goal sheet of each child was made, with the exercises prescribed so as to observe changes every quarter. Centre teachers and the child s parents were also taught these exercises so that the same are repeated every day at home even during vacation. This will be continued in 2018 with the students every day through the year.
2018 Proposal: Activities with Parents/caregivers: Parent s Individual counseling: Activity undertaken in order to deal with particular issues pertaining to the child. This is undertaken on a regular basis , it s a time for the parent to share his/her concerns as well as teachers to open up on issues related to the child that they think might be private or embarrassing for the parent to hear in a larger forum. Home visits: Home visits are undertaken for the teacher to observe a child s nurturing environment and take that into consideration while making a action plan. These are also opportunities to reinforce the various therapy based exercises that they child can do at home, under adult supervision. Most home visits also include discussions on the various events the child would be participating in the near future. In the past one year 132 home visits were made. Parent teachers meet : Once a quarter a PTM is organized to share common issues from Parents or from STK staff. It is also a forum to give out new information such as government schemes, entitlements etc and work on common issues such as lack of civic amenities like road/ garbage collection/ water etc.
2018 Proposal: Networking with other stakeholders: As a policy towards working, learning and networking with like- minded NGOs and government gencies to further its goals and augment its reach, Samerth extensively works with SWMR, BPA (Blind Peoples Association), Polio Foundation, Unnatti, Uthan, Prabhat , Krishnam,Vatsalya, Voice & Vision, Sense International to make sure that the needs of special children are paid due attention and their development is ensured. Our children participate in various activities and competitions held by these organizations. These liasions also help us organize exposure visits & TOT for our teachers for them to enhance their own learning. Active liasioning with the government (Special Maha Kumb, Social Justice and Empowerment department, Women and child development department, education department, Nagar Ramotsav etc ) ensures that Kendra staff is in the know of the latest schemes/ change in policies for its children. Referral Service: In the recent PTM there has been an active demand for starting of referral service for Physio and Speech therapy. This is coming from community members, whose children are now at a level that they do not need every day regular support or are extreme cases and cannot come to the centre every day. About 15 such cases have already been registered at centre. This will help the centre to reach out to larger audience. Once a week Physio & Speech therapy sessions will be held for special children who are not on attendance roll at STK.
2018 Proposal contd.. Home based Service (Community based Rehabilitation):STK has received home based service demand since a long time from the area. There are many severe cases in the community who cannot travel to STK centre every day due to poor health. These children require home based service where the therapy, Individual plans / goals etc are made for them at their homes. The idea is to visit them twice weekly for 2 hrs and rest of the days give a chart to the caregiver to follow. The service will help us reach out to extremely needy and distressed families. We plan to reach out 10 families in the year 2018 and strategize activities for best to cope with the challenges of a special child.
Samerth extensively works with SWMR, BPA (Blind Peoples Association), Polio Foundation, Unnatti, Uthan, Prabhat , Krishna mm,Vatsalya to make sure that the needs of special children are paid due attention and their development is ensured. Our children participate in various activities and competitions held by these organizations.
Currently the types of disabilities faced by children: SR. No. Types Of Disability December -17 Girls Boys Total 1 Mentally Retarded 14 22 36 2 Down s Syndrome 4 6 10 3 Cerebral Palsy 2 3 5 4 Low Vision - 2 2 5 Hearing Impairment 1 - 1 6 Hearing and Speech - 1 1 7 Only Speech Problem - - - 8 Multiple Disability 2 1 3 Total 23 35 58
Case Studies https://docs.google.com/document/d/12T2u5tw6Mu4RKGQpA2s8S3h nqmAdybjj0nIeUvz1jCM/edit
Short term and long term plan for STK Short term (Two year) Plan: 1. To be able to create a proper space for running a well equipped kendra catering to intellectually challenged children, vocational training for adults, running regular referral services as well community based services. 2. To intensely work within the community and bring about visible change in the children - so that they are able to come to the kendra. Currently we will be working with 10 children, we hope that 50% of them are well enough to come to the kendra in the next 2 years. 3. To involve more and more adults (currently there are 12 adults and 6 adolescents ) at the vocational training centre, in order to create small parent- children livelihood based enterprise groups and make our children financially independent to the extent possible. Long term (Six year) Plan: 1. To be able to explore liaison with Government & CSR groups - create a tripartite partnership to run the Samerth Talim Kendra program. 2.To be able to create greater visibility of Samerth Talim Kendra - through participating in public events, partnering with CSR - NGO programmes/ events etc. 3. To run a full fledged vocational centre and be able to support at least 25 families with intellectually disabled children to run enterprises involving the children.
