We work with communities to:
Raise awareness and reduce stigma
Provide tailored individual educational support
Empower and equip parents and guardians
Strengthen early stimulation and learning
We do this in order to see inclusive communities where children 0-7 years are given equal opportunities to learn.
Inclusion
SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
We work towards inclusion of children with disabilities within ECD centres and schools.
For children with severe disabilities where school is not an option, we support parents and guardians to provide adequate care and stimulation at home. We also raise awareness about the rights of children with disabilities within the wider community.
In 2012, the ECD Diagnostic report highlights that very little is in place to support South African families despite the fact that they are the strongest and most enduring influences on children, especially in the early years. As a result of disadvantage, about a third of poor South African children reach school age stunted or underweight many with health and learning disadvantages which they are unlikely to overcome. ECD services can provide ideal opportunities for the prevention, early identification and timely provision of assistance for children with disabilities and children requiring additional support for health and development.
We work towards inclusion of children with disabilities within ECD centres, schools and homes, providing specialised support and tools to ensure that every child can progress in small attainable steps. Our Inclusion programme includes the following activities:
Home based learning
Support for parents and guardians with specialised resources and skills to support their children’s development in order to provide care and stimulation in the home holistically.
Inclusion ECD hubs & schools
Inclusion programmes for children with disabilities in ECD centres & schools. Support for teachers to ladder (differentiate) and implement inclusive practices.
Therapy programmes & Individual Support plans (ISP)
Occupational therapy, as well as Physio and Speech are critical in supporting a child. ISP’s support a child with small attainable steps to progress.
Community awareness
Awareness drives are essential in breaking down stigma and creating acceptance around inclusion and disability
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Children with disabilities supported
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Therapy sessions hosted this year
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Referrals issued to support access to servicesSchool Readiness
IMPLEMENTING EARLY IDENTIFICATION & PREVENTION.
Between 0-7 years a child’s developmental pathways are being formed. Screening of children under 7 in KwaNzimakwe show that an average of 19% (almost 1 in every 5 children) are shown to be at risk of falling behind. Professor Haroon Saloojee of Wits University presented “Early childhood development: Changing the trajectory of young children's lives in South Africa”. He illustrates that intergenerational disadvantages may cause differences at birth and these differences are likely to widen over time unless there are specific interventions to address them, highlighting a unique ‘window of opportunity’, to narrow this difference.
We work towards supporting all children under 7 in a community with early learning, utilising early identification and interventions that support finding children at risk of falling behind and enabling them to catch up and progress. Our School Readiness programme includes the following activities:
Red Flag Screening Assessments
Early identification group assessment of children at ECD centres & schools supporting identifying children at risk of getting left behind.
Catch Up Programme
Prevention interventions for children at risk of falling behind to support them to catch up, transition and progress through schooling at ECD centres, schools and in homes.
Early learning for children 0-2
Specific tasks and interventions are given to ECD Practitioners and/or parents/guardians to ensure learning begins at the earliest stages of a child’s development.
Community awareness
Awareness drives are essential in understanding the importance of early learning and the need for families to intervene with their children from a young age and to continue throughout the child’s schooling career.
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Children screened with Red Flag
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Children supported through the Catch-Up programme
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Children 0-2 years supported through our early learning programme
Children need holistic support where all aspects of their development are considered and evaluated. Individual children will experience challenges in different developmental areas and therefore a unique intervention may be necessary to support them to grow and learn in small attainable steps.