According to the National Sample Survey (NSS) conducted in 2011-2012, the estimated number of disabled children aged 0-6 years in India was around 2.68 million.
The types of disabilities among children in India can vary and include physical disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities. The severity and impact of these disabilities on individual children also vary widely.
Why do people abandon specially-abled children in india?
The act of abandoning a child, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, is a grave violation of their rights and demonstrates a lack of empathy and responsibility on the part of the individuals involved.
While it is difficult to provide a definitive answer as to why some people may choose to abandon special needs children in India, there are several factors that may contribute to this issue:
Lack of awareness and understanding: There is often a lack of awareness and understanding about disabilities in many societies, including in India. This can lead to stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions surrounding disabilities. Some families may feel overwhelmed or incapable of caring for a child with special needs due to a lack of knowledge or support.
Socioeconomic challenges: Economic factors can also play a role in the abandonment of special needs children. Families facing poverty or financial difficulties may struggle to provide the necessary medical care, education, and support required for a child with disabilities. This can lead to feelings of helplessness and desperation, which may result in abandonment.
Limited access to healthcare and support services: In some areas, there may be limited access to healthcare facilities and support services for children with disabilities. Families may face difficulties in obtaining proper medical care, therapies, or educational resources for their children. The lack of available support can make it even more challenging for families to cope, potentially leading to abandonment.
Social and cultural factors: Cultural beliefs, superstitions, and social pressures can also contribute to the abandonment of special needs children. In some cases, children with disabilities may be seen as a burden or a source of shame within the family or community. These negative attitudes can lead to families making the heartbreaking decision to abandon their child.
It is important to emphasize that these reasons are not justified, and abandoning a child is always unacceptable. Society needs to work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for children with disabilities and their families. This includes raising awareness, providing accessible healthcare and support services, promoting acceptance, and combating the stigma and discrimination associated with disabilities.
Types of Disabilities
There are many definitions to define a special child or a child with special needs. A child with special needs is one who requires extra help or exceptional care in their day to day lives. There are many types of special children depending on their needs. They can be classified into four major categories: Physical, Sensory, Developmental, Behavioral or Emotional.
Physical disabilities include conditions like Muscular Dystrophy, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, Locomotor Disability among others.
Sensory disabilities include deafness, hard of hearing, low vision and blindness. These conditions hamper one or more sensory abilities of children.
Common Developmental Disabilities include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.
Children with behavioral or emotional disabilities may find it difficult to build or maintain interpersonal relationships, or to learn new things. They may also feel depressed or anxious. ADHD and ADD are common types of behavioral disabilities.
A rehabilitation home for children with disabilities in India should aim to provide comprehensive care and support to meet the specific needs of each child. Here are some essential facilities and services that we provide in our rehabilitation home.
Qualified and Trained Staff: Our rehabilitation home has a team of dedicated professionals, including doctors, nurses, psychologists, therapists (occupational, physical, speech-language, etc.), special educators, and social workers. These professionals are experienced and trained in working with children with disabilities.
Medical Care: Our facility should have access to medical services, including regular check-ups, specialized medical interventions, and emergency care. This may include on-site medical professionals or partnerships with nearby hospitals or healthcare centers.
Therapy Services: Our Rehabilitation home provides various therapy services tailored to the needs of the children, such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and psychological counseling. These therapies are crucial for enhancing their motor skills, communication abilities, and overall well-being.
Education and Special Education: Our Rehabilitation home offers educational programs designed to accommodate the unique learning needs of children with disabilities. Special education teachers are made available to provide individualized instruction, adaptive techniques, and assistive technologies to support the children's educational development.
Assistive Devices and Equipment: Our facility is equipped with assistive devices and equipment to aid the children's mobility, communication, and independence. This may include wheelchairs, walking aids, hearing aids, communication devices, and sensory integration tools.
Recreational and Social Activities: Providing opportunities for recreational and social engagement is crucial for the holistic development of children. Our rehabilitation home has spaces and activities that promote physical exercise, creative expression, social interaction, and cultural experiences.
Vocational Training and Life Skills: As children with disabilities grow older, it is important to prepare them for independent living and meaningful employment. Our home offers vocational training programs and teaches life skills to enhance their self-reliance and integration into society.
Accessibility and Inclusion: The infrastructure of our rehabilitation home is designed to be accessible and inclusive, ensuring that children with physical disabilities can navigate the environment comfortably. This includes ramps, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms, and other necessary accommodations.
Collaboration and Community Integration: We collaborate with local schools, organizations, and community groups to promote inclusion and facilitate the integration of children with disabilities into society. This may involve organizing awareness programs, community events, and partnerships with employers for potential job opportunities.
It is important to note that the specific facilities and services may vary depending on the type and severity of disabilities the children have, as well as the available resources of the rehabilitation home.
How a sustainable program is bringing a lasting change
Every child is special and deserves love and care. Every child should be nurtured with all the basic amenities and necessities, which is crucial for its future. Rescue and Relief believes in ameliorating the lives of children who are abandoned due to their special needs. Children with special needs are often deserted, or given up due to their unique and exceptional needs. That is why as a responsible part of the society we have come forward and decided to help such children with special needs.
Our Project shelters and provides for special children aims at taking in these children who need a homely atmosphere, exceptional care, love, patience, special educational needs, and necessary medical services. At present it shelters approximately 50 children, which varies from time to time in number. We provide them nutritional diet, where a chart is maintained for every meal, and all the other basic amenities such as good bed, clothes, clean washrooms, and etc., Caregivers look after their every need, from bathing, changing clothes, basic hygiene, to putting them to bed. Round the clock medical services, as per their varying medical condition, are provided. Caregivers are also trained in handling and taking care of them with patience and love. Psychological help is provided by trained professionals on a monthly basis. We try to create a joyous environment where the children are not treated as being in house-arrest but a happy place.
These children are affected by:
Hydrocephalus: It is a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurs within the brain. It is a treatable disease by medical professionals.
Microcephaly: A condition in which a baby's head is significantly smaller than expected, often due to abnormal brain development. Treatment can help but the condition can’t be improved.
Paraplegic: Paralysis that affects all or part of the torso, legs, and pelvic organs.
Cerebral Palsy: It is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture.
Spastic: It is a kind of born disability that makes it difficult for the patient to move or control their muscles, especially legs and arms.
Autism: A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact.
Some of them have hearing impairments, speech problems, eyesight disabilities, also. However, 16 children of them are trying to overcome the situations through education and the rest of them are being monitored at the home.
Vocational training is also given to craft creative and decorative items such as pen stands, flower baskets made of paper, doormats from ropes and other recyclable ones, to make them self sufficient. Occassions such as Christmas, Diwali, Puja, are celebrated with great enthusiasm and arrangements. Dance, recreational activities are also held as their more of entertainment. For their special educational needs (SEND), 17 children go to a special school named REACH so that they have an independent and sustainable future. Some of the children are also being trained for Paralympics as we believe in our children, and in giving opportunities to each of them.
We believe in giving and utilizing opportunities, for opportunity is a pathway to success. Rescue and Relief is taking an initiative to create job opportunities for the special children, especially the autistic ones, enabling them to be independent.
Problems faced by differently-abled children in finding livelihoods
Worldwide 20% Autistic people are employed but their jobs do not match their skill set and as a result most of them remain unemployed or underemployed.
Low wages jobs and more working hours, compared to their qualification.
In India, The situation is worse off, as Autistic people are not accepted or thought fit to be employed.
They lack the opportunity compared to normal people, in terms of jobs. Existing jobs are usually underpaid, draining, derogatory, discriminating, offensive, abusive and pitiful.
Job environment is far from being autistic-friendly.
Our objective is to create a blueprint of an autistic-run and autistic-friendly café, so that space acceptance for autistic people increases in the Consumers.
Café Opportunity: Concept Note
Our objective is to create a blueprint of an autistic-run and autistic-friendly café, so that space acceptance for autistic people increases in the Consumers.
We want to build an ecosystem where the special young beneficiaries would not only earn for themselves but also provide for the incoming beneficiaries, helping them in a way. The Café will have a display unit, where various crafts and handmade items made by our children of different Projects, would be showcased, giving them an opportunity to showcase and utilize their talent. This also creates an opportunity for the children to earn for themselves as the customers coming in could view as well as purchase those. As the café would also function as a working space (co-works), the budding entrepreneurs also get the chance to have a working space while enjoying their much-needed morning coffee and breakfast, at a café-like environment.
We are trying to allocate and generate resources to start this Café and we expect to run it by March 2024. The Café does not have any business motive but it definitely has a profit motive, as all the profit would be used in the welfare of the beneficiaries of the organization, further enhancing their livelihoods.
AURTism: Autism and Art
Aritri has been a part of Rescue family since quite a long time. Her uniqueness was once shunned by others but her parents and Rescue and Relief have always had faith in her. She is autistic but artistic, and possesses skills that make her more special. She has achieved many awards for her extraordinary performance and talents. Her talent of bed sheet fabric painting and t-shirt designing are quite notable and worthy of such recognition. Our POCSO project children loved her designed T-shirts and this is what we aim to build: a sustainable project, which delivers the need of another.
We support and create opportunities for children like Aritri, to earn a living on their own and lead a better livelihood.
Rescue and Relief not only works towards raising awareness on Special Children, the problems they face, the place they deserve, but also informing people, and creating opportunities, so that together we can build a better place for every child. It is our belief that children with special needs, with the right love, care and needs, can blossom into something great! Their special needs, if provided properly, have the capability to grow into something special. Thus, we aim to be the support and be the soil that provides the climbers and plants all the nutrition for their growth and development. Every little support impacts a life and nudges the world towards a lasting change.
Every child deserves to smile and be happy and we work towards making that happen!
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info@rescueandrelief.org