KUCHING: A Special Kids Centre will be set up to further help children with special needs here.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah revealed the project was under Petronas which had allocated RM4 million as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“We have decided that the rehabilitation centre will act as a one-stop centre where parents can send their children for early intervention,” she told a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Early Childhood Development Council meeting at Baitulmakmur Complex here yesterday.
She said her ministry was preparing the proposal now. It would be sent to Petronas for approval by the end of April.
“The proposed centre will treat two types of disabilities first; one will be autism while we are still deliberating on the other disability,” she said.
Fatimah added that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in every 160 children worldwide was diagnosed with autism. Therefore, there was a need to have such a centre to cater to the needs of parents.
“At the moment, we will focus on two disabilities first… We can’t focus on all types of disabilities, as it has to depend on the budget,” she said.
The proposed centre, Fatimah said, would have doctors to do early diagnoses so that the children could have the right treatment from an early stage.
“We want to provide holistic and very intensive rehabilitation services for these children,” she stressed, adding that autism could be mild, moderate or severe.
She added that a few sites for the proposed centre had been already identified.
“We are expecting the centre to be in operation by this year,” she said.
Meanwhile, as mentioned by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, the state government will be setting a special primary school for special needs children.
“My ministry is given three months to conduct a study on what is the best concept and model for the school.
“We are looking at practices overseas and the concepts. We want these children to have inclusive education,” pointed out Fatimah.
She said for a start, the school would be set up in Kuching.
