With an aim to provide support to infants and young children at risk of or with disabilities, the Union Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE) Ministry has launched 14 cross disability early intervention centres across the country.
SJE Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot virtually inaugurated the centres recently that are located at seven national institutes and seven composite regional centres of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).
Through the centres, which have been started as a pilot, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are covered. All its 21 composite regional centres would have early intervention centres gradually, said an official from the DEPwD.
“Research studies suggest that early childhood [0-6 years] is a time of remarkable brain development… Early intervention can provide specialised support and services for infants and young children at-risk or with disability and/or developmental delay and for their families to help them in their overall development, well-being and participation in family and community life,” said Gehlot.
Minister Gehlot further said that there is a need to identify children with disabilities or infants who are at risk of developing a disability, and provide them early assistance, so as to ensure optimal development of the child.
“In 2022, we are also working towards setting up such centers in all CRCs. As a result of which the facility of Cross Disability-Early Intervention Centers will be available in about 25 States and Union Territories,” the Minister said.
Screening of children and referral to appropriate rehabilitative care; speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy; parental counselling and training and peer counseling are among various services being provided at these Centres.
Secretary, DEPwD, Anjali Bhawra explained that disability in children is a matter of serious concern. According to the 2011 Census, there are more than 20 lakh children with disabilities in the age group of 0-6 years, who belong to the categories of visually impaired, hearing impaired, locomotor disability etc. “This means that around 7 percent of children in this age group suffer from some form of disability. These are expected to increase with the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, as there are now 21 categories in the disability category instead of 7,” she added.