Researchers call for more specialist help for at-risk children

Western Bureau:

Tracy-Ann Pinnock, manager at the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College Diagnostic Centre Diagnostic and Early Intervention Centre says some 40 per cent of the 163 children in western Jamaica assessed as being at-risk are not in school, or receiving any level of education. She has urged a greater focus on providing help for parents, and specialised institutions to help students cope.

The results of the assessment were revealed Monday during an information fair hosted in partnership with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) at the Diagnostic Centre in Granville, St. James.

Pinnock said the rate has been determined by assessments carried out by the SSTC Diagnostic Centre during the first six months of this year.

“Between January and June this year, of the 163 children assessed, 64 were not in school and have been assessed to be on the severe end of the autism spectrum or are severely intellectually disabled,” said Pinnock. Also, those who are in school are awaiting further assessments to facilitate examination accommodations, especially for Primary Exit Profile.”

According to her, these children are either non-verbal or barely verbal as they are moderately or severely autistic and require specialised education to cope. Further, the diagnostic and early intervention specialist centre argued that there are children with disabilities in schools which are just ‘holding’ them, as the schools are not equipped for children with special needs.

“It’s challenging for them to cope in a regular setting and so they need to be in a segregated school,” Pinnock said. “There are also children who have the temperament and the ability to function in the regular school, but not without support. Their processing speed is very slow through no fault of theirs, so they will need extra time in exams, for instance, in order to realise their full potential.”

GREATER PUBLIC EDUCATION

The Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College Diagnostic Centre Diagnostic and Early Intervention Centre for at-risk children started operations in 2019 specifically to serve the children of western Jamaica free of cost, although private providers are offering this service at costs ranging from $20,000 to $60, 000 for basic assessments.

The Gleaner understands that while the centre caters to many children who are non-verbal, it also assesses children with other disabilities. However, there is still a large number of children with disabilities in need of this service who are not receiving it because their parents are reportedly hiding them at home.

In bridging the information gap, Pinnock points to the need for greater public education, noting that the information session jointly held by the diagnostic centre and the JCPD was one of the methods in helping to reach people, especially those with children having special needs.

Sherena Thomas-Shaw, JCPD western regional social worker acknowledged that there is need for more pointed information on how parents can access services for children who are at-risk and have disability issues.

“A lot of parents of children with disabilities do not know about the services that the government provides,” Thomas-Shaw said in a media interview. I want to get the message out so that when they see the disabled person, they can make the referral to us so that we can provide different services for those persons.”

She shared that the JCPD caters to all categories of people with disabilities, including Downs syndrome, autism, speech impairment and mental illness.

Residents in Granville, Pitfour, Retirement and their environs also benefited from services provided by agencies of the state during the information-sharing session. Among them, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with a number of its departments, including senior citizens, the Early Stimulation Programme, the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education and Tax Administration of Jamaica through the provision of Tax Registration Numbers.