|
|
Amazing Grace Foundation ............Light of Hope |
|
|
|
Gov't advised on needs of disabled childrenFriday January 14 2005 The Amazing Grace Foundation is calling on the government to devise a co-ordinated policy for professionals dealing with developmentally disabled children. Speaking at the opening of the educational workshop on the health, care and welfare of children with disabilities yesterday, Chairman of the Amazing Grace Foundation Clarence Pilgrim said that too many of the primary services for these children were insufficient or non-existent. "There have been reports that the rights to basic services such as health care and transportation are frequently denied to mentally challenged persons who are regarded as low priority on the index of national development needs. "The list of situations that discriminate against persons with disabilities, through ignorance or otherwise, appear to be long and includes many aspects of everyday life," the chairman said in the presence of Ministers Winston Williams, Colin Derrick and the participants of the workshop. He maintained however, that training workshops like yesterday's one-day event represented attempts to give disabled children "a solid foundation to becoming productive contributing citizens in their own right." New Minister of Social Transformation Hilson Baptiste pledged his support to the proper development of services and resources for the disabled. "My office will always be open for you whether it is for counselling, encouragement; whatever is needed, we will do it. No child will be left behind, disabled or not," Baptiste stressed. Minister Williams highly commended the Amazing Grace Foundation for the workshop but further encouraged the principals of the foundation to broaden their scope by providing services for children who are "victims of abuse or neglect who society, unfortunately does not recognise as disabled." In his address, the new minister of justice said his ministry would work to ensure the international treaties regarding the care and development of disabled people were adhered to despite a lack of financial and human resources. The workshop, attended by social workers, family members and teachers, highlighted the physiological needs of the disabled, the legal rights of the disabled as well as computer technology and the disabled. Meanwhile, Pilgrim said the foundation was planning to expand its services by increasing the physical size of the home to include a [new] clinic and day care. |
|
|
