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Smart cards for children with special needs soon

Ministry of Social Affairs' initiative to help involve parents in rehabilitation process.

Initiatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs span a variety of educational, rehabilitation and social activities. — Supplied photo

Children with special needs in the five centres under the Ministry of Social Affairs will soon have a smart card for better communication and involvement of parents in education, rehabilitation, and training programmes. The card will be issued from March, a top ministry official said.

Wafa Hamad, Manager of Special Needs Care and Rehabilitation Department at the ministry, said the new service will give parents easier access to the information they need about their children. “The ministry will post a number of (smart) applications for tablets and phones for the best of special needs children.”

Interested parents may register for a smart card via smart phones, following which the card — which will be issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs — may be collected either by mail or at the special needs centre, she said.

Hamad said the apps will help parents understand the weaknesses of their children. “The apps may be downloaded on smart phones and tablets. Students’ registration in the special needs centres is to be done within two years.”

Hamad said the ministry will hold meetings with parents of special needs children to discuss the best ways to form a board council for them and decide on the appropriate way to run this board.

Recently, the ministry launched the ‘You’re welcome’ initiative at the Dubai Centre for Special Needs with the aim of making parents of special needs children satisfied with the services being rendered to their kids. “The ministry wants to give a boost to parents’ role in developing the services being rendered to special needs children, particularly those meant to develop their participation in the educational process.”

The initiative, spanning a variety of educational, rehabilitating, and social activities and programmes, will be launched in all other centres of special needs children, she added.

Hamad said parents of special needs children shall be “electronically enlightened” and involved in the set rehabilitation programmes, particularly on social media websites. “Parents will also be encouraged to follow the performance of their children, and participate in laying down curriculum, and evaluate the services being rendered by attending regular meetings.”

Hamad indicated that the ministry will be launching an SMS service to better communicate with parents of special needs children, and develop their awareness about the services and activities being offered. “We are also planning to issue pamphlets, brochures and roll-ups to involve more parents in our initiative and services, in addition to running training courses on a regular basis to better integrate special needs children in the society.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com