Children with developmental challenges to be admitted in anganwadis

The government has issued orders sanctioning the admission of children with developmental challenges in anganwadis, a statement issued by Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Veena George said.

The decision was taken as several experts, including the Child Development Centre, have advised that alongside treatment, admitting children with developmental challenges between two and three years of age in anganwadis can help in their social and mental development, the statement said.

It is important that children with autism and developmental challenges such as hearing and language impairment are identified early and interventions done to tackle their challenges. If these children are allowed to spend time with regular children, the interaction can benefit the former. Children with developmental challenges will eventually learn from the other children, through observation and imitation and thus improve their own talents.

The training programmes for CDPOs and supervisors to identify differently abled children early is being conducted by the WCD department. Apart from this training, necessary infrastructural facilities and training for anganwadi employees would be ensured before admitting children with developmental challenges in anganwadis. 

It would be enough that children with developmental challenges are kept in anganwadis for two or three hours initially. If necessary, the child’s caregiver/ mother or grandmother would be allowed to remain with the child.

These children would continue to receive therapy from the Child Development Centre, District Early Intervention Centres and the National Institute of Speech and Hearing. The interactions they have at anganwadis will bring about a lot of positive changes in the social, intellectual and language abilities in them.

In case, more children with developmental challenges need to be admitted in anganwadis, the cooperation of Local Self-Government and Health departments would also be sought, the statement said.

Published - October 11, 2024 01:00 am IST