Early Interventions

• Early screening for vision, hearing and dental problems, awareness on need for maintenance of personal hygiene and health care for mother and child to prevent complications and disability.
• Doctors to be sensitised on the importance of early intervention and to refer the child with development delay “without delay” to early intervention services and provide medical guidance as required.
• Incorporating therapeutic activities in daily life focusing on functional needs of the child while assuring therapeutic alliance among doctors, families, teachers and children in the process.

Educational Interventions

• Standardising in teaching-learning materials in individualised Education Planning (IEP) for assessment, setting goals and objectives, and the evaluation of the plan.
• Monitoring and updating training courses for special educators, through continuous education plans as an ongoing process, towards preparing the child with disability to contribute to the family and society.
• Increasing awareness in mainstream schools among the teaching and administrative staff, encouraging them to develop a positive attitude towards the educational needs of the child with disabilities.
• Sensitising school systems to understand the difficulties and needs of the child with disabilities in academic settings.

Family Involvement

• Very pertinent activity in every stage of intervention, based on differences in lifestyle, family culture and resources while planning for individualised intervention programmes.
• Sensitising siblings and empowering them to care and share resources over the years as children with disabilities grow into adulthood.

Accountability

• Social accountability and auditing to be undertaken by authorised and accredited agencies, with periodic reporting on the service providing organisations, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the institutions.
• Zero rejection and inclusive education are the foundations of valued based early intervention programme. Schools must be made to follow the directive principles, ensuring that adaptations are made in curriculum and in providing least restrictive environment to the child with disability.
• While no child will be deprived of opportunities or learning experiences in mainstream schools, “Not ready” as an attitudinal barrier to include a child with disability in an education programme should be removed.