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For this, Adarsh has set up a team consisting of a Physiotherapist and a psychologist/ social worker. More teams will be set up as and when the need arises. These teams will identify locations where there is a possibility of starting a rehabilitation institute, keeping in view the number of children needing help, availability of teachers, trained or capable of being trained, and an organization willing and capable of running it. Each team will be entrusted with the responsibility of rendering all help for the setting up of the institution and nurturing it in the initial stages.
While the incidence of children with challenges is as high as 15 in 1000, unfortunately awareness about this high incidence and of the possibility of some remedial measures to alleviate the suffering of children and their parents is very little. This is particularly so in rural areas. Consequently, such children get neglected altogether or at best go to an institution where all kinds of disabilities are clubbed and which therefore becomes merely a shelter for the children with no rehabilitation effort. Realising this lacuna, Adarsh has been trying to create awareness about this problem of disability in children, in nearby areas as well as in places where people / groups have shown some interest. It is these efforts which have resulted in setting up institutions, on the lines Adarsh, at 4 places already. With the involvement of Kudumbasree, an institution of the Kerala government, the number of such schools will certainly increase. Perhaps in the next one year at least six such schools are expected to come up, catering specially to children with one or two challenges. For this purpose, a team has been set up in Adarsh, with a physiotherapist and suitable assistants, whose primary objectives are as outlined:
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All technical advice with regard to the setting up of an agency to establish and run a school is given, as also close overseeing of its work in the initial months.
Apart from replicating institutes like Adarsh at many other places, it also understands the need for undertaking training of children other than those with CP, like impairment in hearing, vision, etc. It is this realization, which led Adarsh in July 2003 to start a section for taking care of children with Autism. The section has over 30 children in the beginning of academic year 2008-2009.. The feedback received from the parents of these children was encouraging. We have also come across a large number of children across the state with Autism and related disorders. It is therefore our intention to set up a good institute of Autism, under Adarsh, which can become a nodal centre for study and further action on Autism across the state.
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