SRINAGAR — In Jammu and Kashmir children with special needs and their parents are struggling for early intervention treatment. Being a caregiver for children with disabilities is a full time responsibility whether it is Cerebral Palsy, Autism or any other disabilities parents face challenges every day such as lack of Rehab centers and affordable treatment and admission in normal schools inclusive education.
In Jammu and Kashmir, parents of children with special needs are struggling, and the worst part is the lack of awareness about the right kind of therapy required for their children. In many Child development centers and special schools, there are no qualified Rehabilitation professionals, and special needs kids receive therapies from unqualified individuals. In some centers, speech therapy and occupational therapy are provided by counselors and physiotherapists without parental consent and if any parent of special need raises their voice and they get humiliated and terminated from that centre. In some centers, psychological evaluations are conducted by counselors, leading to misdiagnosis for many children with special needs. As a result of these incorrect diagnoses, families face problems obtaining disability certificates and securing admissions in schools.
According to the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) guidelines and the RPWD Act 2016, only registered Rehabilitation professionals can work with children with special needs. Recently, the State Disability Commissioner of J&K issued a circular stating that only registered rehabilitation professionals can be the Heads of child development centers and special schools. However, many parents have informed me that in various child development centers and special schools in Jammu and Kashmir, non-professionals without a Rehabilitation background are leading these centers, and parents of children with special needs are receiving incorrect information about therapies.
Many parents of children with special needs have shared their experiences regarding Rehab centers CDCs and NGO run special schools in Kashmir as well as Jammu. At the time of admission, these Centres and Special Schools assure parents of proper treatment and charge huge amounts of fees for different therapies. However, many parents later come to know that the centers lack qualified occupational therapists, Rehab therapists, clinical psychologists, and speech therapists. As a result, they feel deceived and believe their children’s time is wasted. Some parents have also reported that physiotherapists, special educators, and Rehab counselors are conducting speech therapy and Occupational therapy sessions that should be reserved for qualified occupational therapists, Rehabilitation Therapists and Speech Therapists. Parents have expressed concerns that the presence of unqualified individuals taking therapy sessions is leading to serious behavioral issues and regressions in many special needs children, particularly those with autism. They believe that these untrained employees lack the necessary skills to effectively address the unique needs of these children.
So many parents informed me that in most of the CDCs they didn’t receive proper therapies after paying a huge amount of fee. And currently, the incidence of Autism, ADHD and other disabilities is rising in Jammu and Kashmir, yet resources for these children remain very limited. Many parents are unaware of the differences Rehabilitation therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech therapy. They are deeply concerned about their children’s well-being and are willing to invest significant amounts for proper treatment. Unfortunately, many Rehab centers and NGOs run special schools in Srinagar as well as jammu take advantage of this situation and cheat them. I plan to raise this serious issue with Government authorities, Health Department and the Ministry to advocate for proper inspections of all child development centers, NGOs run special schools to verify the qualifications of every therapist and proper infrastructure.
Parents have the right to check and keep track of the recognition of the therapy centre, if the professional was certified and has a licence from the Rehabilitation Council of india. I also urge all parents of children with special needs to thoroughly inquire about the qualifications of therapists before visiting any child development center or special school. It is your right to ensure that your child receives the best possible care and support.
The writer Zaheer Jan is Pediatric Rehabilitation Therapist and Social Worker.