Participants discuss viable options to support children with special needs

Participants at a training seminar on Entrepreneurship opportunities in the area of Special Needs concluded on the need to increase awareness creation on children with disabilities to attract the needed attention from government and corporate organizations.

The Training Seminar mostly attended by mothers of children with cerebral palsy looked at options available in creating facilities or services that will serve families raising children with disabilities

Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues said the seminar was demand driven since many parents who contact her organization requires  support services and systems usually not available or very limited.

“Many Parents of children with cerebral palsy ask for certain services or support systems that could support them in raising their children but sadly there are very limited choices, the few available tends to be very expensive for the majority,” she added

Mrs Awadzi said there was the need to have more meaningful conversations about cerebral palsy or children with disabilities in Ghana to deepen the understanding of the masses and to facilitate the creation of affordable support services and systems

Ms Vee Agyare Nelson, Founder of Stepping Stones Foundation, who discussed the various models available in supporting children with complex needs urged participants to spread their imagination beyond the ordinary and be creative in attempting to establish viable ventures to support families raising children with disabilities.

Touching on education she said there are children who need lifelong learning, not necessarily focusing on the academics and added that sometimes, training a child to be able to eat by himself is a great milestone that needs to be celebrated.

Ms Nelson shared her experiences of working in the United Kingdom as a Health and Social workers and said emphasis should be on giving the children quality of life.

 
Ms Monica Kwakye, a professional care giver who has worked with children with disabilities in Ghana both in homes and in schools also shared her experiences urging parents to be willing to discuss their expectations from care givers