SEND 2017: UAE Centres offering SEND support
The focus of this article is on organisations that are not main-stream schools, but rather Centres for Training and Education of children with a wide range of additional needs. In most cases, Centres for children with SEND are registered with and regulated by the Ministry of Social Affairs or the Ministry of Health. We have asked the Centres to answer a common set of questions to enable us to provide as much information as possible. For ease or reference, we have also listed the Centres featured in our original Guide from 2014 at the end of this article.
iCademy Middle East
iCademy Middle East is unique in the UAE since it is licensed by the KHDA to offer on-line education, based on the US K12 on-line curriculum to students of all abilities. In addition, iCademy Middle East offers support to children with SEND through 2 distinct programmes.
The first of these is the iCad+ Group which offers a specialized programme based at the iCademy Centre in Knowledge Park, Dubai specifically for students with SEND.
The iCad+ group was specifically created to fill the gap, which we perceived in Dubai, to cater for students with mild to moderate learning difficulties. As such it is a unique environment in Dubai: by working in a small group setting we can focus on individualized objectives for our students with a range of special educational needs, whilst retaining an inclusive ethos. Our students, as valued members of our wider iCademy Middle East community, participate in all iCademy Middle East school events e.g. Sports Day, National Day, school trips, and camp.
Please tell us about the curriculum
The iCad + group has developed a unique balance of a blended learning online program for our academic K12 subjects, with a focus on experiential learning in a small group setting for our life skills subjects. We believe that this provides the best of both worlds: our modern state of the art technology driven K12 curriculum together with hands- on kinaesthetic learning. The + element, represented in the name of our group, iCad +, encapsulates these additional life skill elements which have enhanced our online academic curriculum.
Which SEND are catered for/accepted in the iCad + group?
Students in the iCad + group have a wide range of learning issues including General Learning Difficulties, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Speech Language and Communication Difficulties, mild Cerebral Palsy, bi-polar, visual impairment, and auditory processing issues. With these learning issues, some students display on occasion some verbally challenging behaviours e.g. oppositional defiance, and/or may have anxiety issues.
Our iCad + programme is a learning program developed by iCademy Middle East to support the academic and broader learning needs of students with special educational needs, and importantly the additional language needs of these students who are also bilingual learners.
Our programme is aimed at serving the whole student by focusing on both life skills and educational outcomes. We recognize the need to focus on long term objectives for our students, to provide them with an optimal platform of confidence and independent living skills to transition to life after schooling. Our wide range of modules for example, Personal Safety, Rights and Responsibilities in the workplace, and Dealing with problems in Daily Life are designed help our students engage in real life issues in a supported environment as a way of developing maturity and personal responsibility.
Please outline the current SEN staff and their roles.
Jo Nolan is the SENCO and lead for the iCad Plus Group. There are 3 learning coaches in the iCad Plus group who have extensive experience in SEN. Katie McLean is our School Counsellor. All learning coaches in the Learning Centre are qualified teachers who have experience in working with students with learning difficulties and learning differences.
Please describe your specialist SEN facilities.
The iCad + group has been set up specifically to cater for students with a range of mild/moderate learning difficulties. Our small group approach, narrowed focus on core academic subjects, and sensitive pace allows us to foster as much meaningful engagement as possible for each individual student. Our low student: learning coach ratio of 6:1 allows students the personalized attention they need.
We differentiate for students in our group by narrowing the academic focus to allow concentration on core subjects of English, Math and Science/History; we adapt the pace as appropriate for the student (for example, for students working below a grade 5 level we can allow a grade to be taken over 2 years); and, we can differentiate by choosing the most appropriate grade level for the individual student by subject. This allows us a flexible and responsive approach to each individual’s learning profile.
Our students have individualized learning objectives which incorporate a broader focus on personal development in addition to traditional academic objectives; for example, social communication, personal organization, dealing with confrontation etc. as we maintain that these objectives are vitally important to the student’s long- term adaptability and personal success.
Please describe the Curriculum for the iCad Plus Group
We took as the basis of our iCad + curriculum our online American K12 curriculum’s core academic subjects of English, Math and Science or History; and the UK’s ASDAN accredited courses in Personal Social Development, Workright, Towards Independence and Employability. We can provide individualized ESL support.
How many students participate in the iCad Plus program?
We have 24 students, aged between 12- 22 of 12 different nationalities within our current group.
For students with milder additional learning needs, iCademy offers students the opportunity to study the K12 on-line curriculum at their Learning Centre in Knowledge Park.
How many students does the iCademy Learning Centre support with SEN?
Number of Students in the Learning Centre – 100 (excluding the iCad + group)
Number of online students in the MENA region – approx. 700
Please describe SEND provision within the iCademy Middle East Learning Centre
In our Learning Centre, we also accommodate students with milder learning needs e.g. specific learning difficulties, who need some support to access the full K12 curriculum. Also, we can accommodate some students with medical issues who find attendance at a traditional school is not sufficiently flexible to meet their needs.
Some students who attend the Learning Centre may also have underlying issues with anxiety, sometimes exacerbated by their experiences in previous schools or school avoidance e.g. social anxiety and depression.
What provision is offered for students in the Learning Centre with SEN?
Within the Learning Centre we maintain a low student: learning coach ratio of 6:1 and (10:1 in High school) which enable us to provide a supportive learning environment for all our students. An inclusive, personalized learning model is the key to the success of each student at iCademy Middle East.
Each student will have a thoroughly developed personalized plan — that is continually updated — to enable to teachers focus on the learning needs of each student. This will be true for students with special learning needs, English Language Learners, as well as those who are categorized as gifted and talented.
For younger students, early intervention is the goal. In essence, each student, regardless of skill and ability level, will have his or her own Individualized Learning Plan (ILP). The ILP, designed for each student, outlines academic objectives, documents strengths and challenges, and sequences the student’s course work for maximum success.
Each term students take the MAPS assessment in English, Math and Science to pinpoint proficiency levels and monitor progress which helps us create meaningful targets for each student, and allows us to measure progress over the school year.
We are used to creating individualized support for our students and have experience in delivering, for example, intensive reading intervention for our students. We use the K12 Mark Reading Remedial Program for Mastery, Acceleration and Remediation of reading issues. Our MARK12 courses are for students who are working between a third to fifth grade level who are struggling readers. MARK12 Reading gives students who are reading several grades below grade level the opportunity to master missed concepts in a way that accelerates them through the remediation process by incorporating adaptivity and online assessments.
Students work independently and with our support to develop oral reading, comprehension, phonics, spelling, and fluency skills. They also practice grammar, usage, mechanics, and composition. The engaging course features new graphics, learning tools, and games; adaptive activities that help struggling students master concepts and skills before moving on.
Please describe the Centre policy on shadow teachers in relation to employment.
If it necessary for a student to have a shadow teacher, this is provided by the family and we can assist in vetting the candidate.
Please describe the policy for accommodating a student with SEND.
In accordance with ‘My community ….a city for everyone’ initiative, promoting special educational needs and disability inclusion and Dubai Law No. 2 , 2014, iCademy Middle East recognizes the educational and social value of inclusion, and promotes a highly inclusive ethos throughout our school community.
iCademy Middle East is committed to ensuring that the necessary provision is made for every pupil in the school community, and welcomes a diversity of culture, religion and intellectual ability, striving to meet the needs of all young people from 5-18 with a learning difficulty, disability, disadvantage or special educational needs.
Please describe the Application procedure for parents with a child with SEND.
Parents are encouraged to disclose to our enrollment co-ordinators any learning needs which we should be aware of, including school reports and other relevant reports from educational psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and medical reports etc. so that we have sufficient information to understand what level of support a prospective student may require.
Enrollment co-ordinators can then liaise with the SENCO and Learning Centre Manager to arrange a meeting with parents to discuss these needs and what we can offer in the Learning Centre. Following this we arrange a placement test for the student so that we can gauge the student’s academic level in accordance with our curriculum.
Contact Information
Location - G08, Block 12, Knowledge Park (formerly known as Knowledge Village)
Tel: 04 440 1212 Email: [email protected] Web: www.icademymiddleeast.com
Modern Alternative Education
Curriculum: We follow the British benchmark to assess our students but are not limited to the British curriculum since it doesn’t work with everyone. We have multiple curricula and choose according to the student’s needs.
No of Students with SEND: 28
Ages: 6- 18 year old
Location: Safa 1
When was MAE founded?
Modern Alternative Education opened in 2016. The founder's own experience as the parent of a non-verbal child on the Autism spectrum, prompted her to spend 4 years planning the opening of the Learning Delay Centre.
Which SEND do you currently cater for/accept in your centre?
All students that are not accepted in the mainstream system yet their impediment is not severe enough to be in a special needs center. We welcome all diagnoses.
Can you outline the current SEN staff and their roles?
All our teachers are SEN teachers, teacher assistants are RBT (registered Behavior Therapies), and shadow teachers are ABA trained or nurses (not nannies).
Can you describe your specialist SEN facilities?
At our facility we don’t only focus on academics but we also cover all the different aspects of life. We have a living room to do our social interaction classes in, a bedroom setting, fully equipped kitchen to use during our vocational study. We have a therapy room, sensory room and sensory kits in all the classrooms. On top of the academic staff customizing an IEP for each student, we have a BCBA and OccupationalTherapist setting our students behavior and sensory plans which is all included in our tuition fee.
What is your centre’s policy on shadow teachers (sourced and employed by you or by parents)?
Depending on the intake assessment we can advise the parents if their child is independent, 3:1 or 1:1. If he/she is 3:1 we will need to provide a shadow teacher, if he/she is 1:1 we give the option to the parents to either provide one which has to be a therapist (not a nanny) or we can hire one and they cover the cost of it.
Can you outline your policy when accommodating a child with SEND?
All our students are SEN students. The only thing we require for the student during the intake assessment is to be responsive and have cognitive ability. We don’t look at the academic level.
What is the application procedure for parents with a SEND child at your centre?
Anyone is welcome to come and do our free of charge assessment and from there we can guide them in how we can (if we can) help them.
Contact information
Tel: 04 399 9822 Email: [email protected] Web: www.maeducation.me
PACE Centre (formerly Oasis Centre)
Curriculum: New England Centre for Children (NECC), BTEC
Ages: 4 to 18
When was the Pace Centre established and what was the background?
In 2012, the members of Dubai Education LLC formed The Oasis School, one of the first schools that incorporated mainstream students with special needs students under one roof. By the middle of the 2015-2016 academic year, the regulator asked Oasis School to re-conceptualize its offering as a mainstream/inclusive programme to a centre that provides programming to SEN students.
Which SEND do you currently cater for/accept in your centre?
At PACE, we offer very flexible programmes, depending on the child’s needs and the parents’ preference. We have a day programme that is structured in a similar way as it would be in a school environment. This program is tailored for students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.
Considering many parents prefer their children to receive therapies at their preferred school or at home, our outreach service provides flexibility and convenience where therapies can be provided ‘on-the-go’, at a location of choice. These services are open to all students from mild to severe special needs.
Can you outline the current SEN staff and their roles?
At PACE Centre, all of the staff are certified, experienced and trained in the area of special needs. We have 21 staff working to ensure each child’s development potential is reached. Our current Student to Teacher ratio is 2:1, providing each child with the utmost attention. We employ specialist staff to provide these services.
Our psychologist assesses, teaches and implements techniques in helping children with developmental and intellectual disabilities perform in their school work, day-to-day behaviours and recognizing basic, essential and intrinsic values of community living (for instance: differentiating between right and wrong, good and bad).
Our ABA therapist uses the scientific principles of learning and motivation in order to effectively teach. ABA seeks to improve specific behaviours while demonstrating a reliable relationship between the procedures used and the change in the individual’s behaviour. It focuses on the idea that the consequences of what we do affect what we learn and what we will do in the future. ABA uses positive reinforcement to increase more positive behaviours and social interactions and decrease inappropriate behaviours.
Speech-language therapists work to assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication and cognitive-communication. Occupational therapists work in providing real-life situations to children and teaching them specific every day areas of focus or “occupations”; which may include dressing, toileting, cooking, gardening, mobility, etc.
Our P.E. Teacher is skilled and educated in physical education and athletic training, providing both physical and mental training to children about the human body and its uses in a wide variety of sports and activities. This teaches children the relationship their physical body has with its environment, teamwork and finer motor skills.
Our Music Teacher is skilled and educated in Music teaching and provides our children with a proven therapy, in which music plays an essential role. From the theoretical learning of music (learning how to read and write music notes), to the practical use of instruments, children develop their acute sense of listening.
We have a learning support team that comprises of 8 teachers and teaching assistants.
Can you describe your specialist SEN facilities?
Our Centre is a cozy and friendly environment, which provides each student with a safe space to grow and develop. Each student has a homeroom and a customized schedule for his or her learning needs. The Centre offers an occupational therapy room, a psychology room, a sensory room, a life-skills room, a physical education room and a music room.
What is your centre's policy on shadow teachers, if provided (are they employed and paid by the school or by the parents)?
The Centre assesses every child individually and recommends whether the child needs a shadow teacher. Each of our shadow teachers are experienced and supervised by our ABA Therapist, with continuous training.
Can you outline your policy when accommodating a child with SEND?
We strive to accommodate every child with SEND. Most children who are assessed can benefit from our day program. Children may attend the center for specific hours or days a week, depending on their situation and upon the recommendations of our teachers and therapists.
What is the application procedure for parents with a SEND Child at your centre?
An interested parent may call to book an appointment with our admissions coordinator, who will schedule a one-on-one meeting for an assessment between our therapists and the child; at which point a detailed report will be given to the parents and the accompanying recommendations.
Contact information
Tel: 04 388 1388 Email: [email protected] Web: www.pacecentre.ae
Riverston Children’s Centre Dubai
When was Riverston Dubai founded?
The Riverston Children’s Centre (RCC) opened in Dubai in April 2017.
How did this come about?
The RCC has been established and is owned by a partnership between Tarbia and the Riverston Group. Tarbia is a local education company, owned by the Belhasa and Daud families, whilst the Riverston Group is a London-based organisation established in 1925. Riverston operates early intervention centres and inclusive schools specializing in catering for children in need of additional learning support through a bespoke and individualized curriculum, both in the UK and internationally.
Who are the people behind the organisation and how many people are involved in your team?
The centre’s Programme Director, Meg Klein, is a renowned speech and language pathologist, who has over 30 years of experience in paediatrics. The centre’s team includes speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and early years teachers, as well as visiting psychologists, paediatric neurologists and educators.
Please outline how the Riverston Centre works – what are the criteria for children to be considered for your programme, what is the process for families to contact you, what are the service offered, what are the benefits of these services?
The Riverston Children's Centre provides expertise and support for children who are showing challenges in aspects of their learning and development and have been referred by their parents, school, nursery or doctor. Parents can sometimes struggle to find the right help for their child, often travelling to many appointments at a number of different locations. At the Riverston Children’s Centre we provide all the expertise and support needed in one place.
The Riverston Children’s Centre offers support for children and their families from a multidisciplinary team offering in-depth assessments, consultations, and therapy (either individual or group) both in the centre and also in the child’s school or nursery environment.
The centre also provides intensive therapy through their Early Intervention Programme (EIP) for children aged 2 to 6 years. The EIP staff identify and work with a child’s individual and specific learning needs, and support their family in seeing their child reach their full potential and confidently develop and follow their ambitions.
From January 2018, the RCC will also be offering training programmes for teachers and parents. The first programme that will be launched is a Certificate Program in Special Needs Education.
At the Riverston Children’s Centre we:
Believe that all children can progress in their development and learning with the right level and type of support, and through making realistic and achievable targets that are functional and appropriate to their living and learning environment; Are completely child-focused and dedicated in supporting each child’s individual needs to enable them to overcome challenges to confidently develop and pursue their ambitions in life; Provide support for families and schools in training, modelling of tasks and advice, working with them to develop solutions to fully support their children; Use evidence-based approaches throughout therapy and learning programmes.
The RCC has been designed with the children’s safety in mind and with resources carefully chosen to develop each child’s potential and to ignite the child’s desire to learn and capacity to do so when provided with the right environment and appropriate materials.
The Riverston Children’s Centre has been designed by a specialist company to create a safe, calming and stimulating environment to support the learning and development of children. The centre has a large outdoor shaded area, with play equipment designed to encourage discovery and learning in a safe environment. The centre has been designed to be wheelchair-friendly to create an inclusive environment.
Is there any specific research or evidence that supports the usefulness of your approaches?
The centre’s team are dedicated to using evidence-based approaches and tools and therapists keep up to date on the latest research as part of their ongoing continuing professional development. Therapists work in a holistic manner, ensuring that therapy goals are functional, achievable and sustainable.
At Riverston Children’s Centre, we believe that all children can progress in their development and learning with the right level and type of support, and through introducing realistic and achievable targets that are functional and appropriate to their living and learning environment.
Contact information
Telephone: 04-3280052 Email: [email protected] Location: 21C Street (also known as Al Ragay Street), Umm Suqeim 1. Website: www.riverstoncc.ae.
Senses
Senses takes children from the age of two to twenty.
When was the Senses Centre established and what was the background?
The Senses Care Home project was founded by Emirati Nadia Khalil Al Sayegh, who has over 20 years experience in the department of Labour and Social Affairs, concentrating on Special Needs children in Dubai.
Please outline how Senses Centre works – what are the criteria for children to be considered for your programme, what is the process for families to contact you, what are the service offered, what are the benefits of these services?
Senses Residential and Day Care Centre, a non profit organisation, is the first and only residential care facility for special needs in the UAE and the Middle East . Through specialised programmes that combine speech and music therapy, art, life skills, sports and physiotherapy, with mild or severe physical disabilities and Down Syndrome receive the care they need .
Senses provides a home with round-the-clock care for children who need special therapies offering them rehabilitative and educational programmes, as well as a nurturing environment where they can develop new skills and improve their abilities.
As a team, we offer professional services within the day care centre, which includes physical, occupational, speech and sensory integration therapies, which are all vital to the comfort and progression of the child's development. The centre also focuses heavily on special education, art, games and outdoor activities.
At Senses we take children and young adults with severe physical and learning difficulties. Senses School accepts children with mild to severe and profound cases including multi-disability cases such as Physical disabilities, cerebral palsy, Mental retardation, Down Syndrome, Autism spectrum disorder and Disabled orphans.
Many of our children suffer from epilepsy and are in need of 24 hours nursing care.
Our residential centre has been created to be a home away from home for our students.
We offer a range of opportunities for our children to fulfil educational interests and participate in new life-enriching pastimes, experience sensory stimulations and build self-esteem, increase independence and explore future life opportunities. Daily sessions include Art, Life skills, Communication, Personal Care, Sports, Physiotherapy, Horticulture, Literature and Cookery.
We also ensure that the children receive outside stimulation from outside organisations and guests to ensure continual stimulation for the children. Regular reviews are held with parents and professionals to ensure needs are being met and future goal setting is realistic.
Please describe your specialist facilities
The centre is set in a purpose built centre in Umm suqeim, which was built under the order of HH Shk Mohammed, bin Rashid, al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the U.A.E. and ruler of Dubai.
The Senses Centre has acquired specialist equipment for developing cognitive and sensory skills. Educational blocks and Smart Boards are used to develop attention, memory, skills of reading, math and expression and proper pronunciation.
Senses Centre have seven classes, which now offer educational academic programmes, in which individual educational plans are applied. These include all development areas such as large and fine motor, cognitive/perception, receptive and expressive language, social, emotional, behavioural, independent skills and self reliance, the skills of reading and writing.
An early years intervention section has recently been established to cater for the age 3 to 5 years and commissioned to design a programme and a work plan for a specialist team which includes occupational and sensory treatment, physiotherapy, pronunciation treatment, motor training and rehabilitation. The families of children enrolled in this section have been given a unique opportunity in integration and training to link the individual educational training plan with individual treatment plans, which provides them with a unique rehabilitative home plan.
A vocational training section has been developed which focuses on training both male and female students of 14 years and above. Here they learn a large range of handicrafts, trades and artefacts. They enjoy printing on cloth, binding, painting on pottery and cups, engraving and decorating on glass and wood, simple jewellery making and photography. The product are exhibited or sold and the proceeds go toward funding continual development of the unit.
The assessment procedures programme enables Senses Centre to give results on medical, educational, developmental, visual, oral and psychological and follow up diagnosis.
The occupational and sensory therapy section focuses on the development of fine motor and sensory skills. This section is equipped with modern and advanced devices such as the multi purpose body balance devise, which is now benefiting children who suffer from sensory collaboration problems.
The physiotherapy department has been developed and with specialist equipment, focuses on children with physical disability such as cerebral palsy, scoliosis, cerebral oedema, cord muscle and muscle weakness.
Health and wellbeing are our number one priority. Families are always welcome, included and supported to maintain an active role in the care of their relatives.
Contact information
Tel: 04-394-8765 Web: www.sensescentre.org.
Centres included in our original SEN Guide
Child Learning and Enrichment Medical Centre
The Child learning and Enrichment Medical Centre accepts children between the ages of three and 10.
Parents can choose either English or Arabic medium of tuition and skills focused on include: maths, phonics, reading, handwriting, and spelling and other academic skills. The centre place a strong emphasis on inclusion and to date has seen several children move into mainstream schools. The After School Support Programme is available for children already in school, but still require regular top up tuition. In-house therapies include: psychology, occupational therapy, music therapy, physical therapy, speech and language and outpatient care.
The centre is located in Jumeirah, Dubai. For more information call: 04 344 0737 or visit: www.childlearning.ae
The Al Noor Training Center for Children with Special Needs
Al Noor accepts children aged 3 to 18 years old.
The centre offers various therapies including: psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, communication, language and speech autism Unit, research programme and vocational training unit. In addition it offers satellite programmes which include: Work Placement Supported Employment, Parent and Child Training (PACT,) Individualised Intervention Programme (IIP), Al Noor Social Club Summer Camp, International Award Scheme and Support of Parents at Al Noor (SPAN).
The school is located in Al Barsha area, Dubai. For more information visit: www.alnoorspneeds.ae or call: 04 340 4844
The Developing Child Centre
The DCC offers multi-disciplinary assessments, educational psychological assessments and therapy and learning support assessments. The centre prefers not to ‘label’ children and instead chooses to offer help in specialised areas, these include: nanny workshops, holiday camps, body awareness, food explorers, narrative skills, social skills, handwriting skills, vocabulary builders and jump starters classes. The DCC is located in Umm Suqueim Dubai.
For more information visit: www.tdcc.ae. and our article on Clinics, support and therapy groups.
Dubai Autism Center
DAC offers diagnosis, intervention, a family support club and various training programmes for those living with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The centre is located in the Garhoud area of Dubai.
For more information see: www.dubaiautismcenter.ae or telephone: 04 3986862
Dubai Center for Special Needs
The DCSN accepts children aged four to 18 years old.
Children are admitted through referral by a paediatrician, school, or private enrolment. The pre-nursery section encourages learning through play for four to seven year olds, while seven to 18 year olds focus on developmental skill areas such as self-help, social skills and safety. The centre has its own: physiotherapy, speech and language, medical and occupational therapy departments.
The Dubai Centre for Special Needs is located on SZR, near Safa Park, Dubai. For more information visit: www.dcsneeds.com
The Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre
The Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre works with children from birth to 18 years old.
The centre offers classes in both Arabic and English mediums for three to eight year olds and an early intervention programme for children from birth to five year old. The centre focuses on integrating therapies into the classroom while students are placed in classes according to their needs. The centre has specialist care in the form of physiotherapy, speech therapy and hearing impairment classes.
RPTC is located in Al Barsha behind Mall of the Emirates, Dubai. For more information visit: www.rashidtest.com, or call: 04 340 0005
Abu Dhabi
Hamad Center for Special Needs
The HCSN accepts children aged two to 16 years old.
The Hamad Centre is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping children with Autism and other developmental disabilities. The Centre specialises in behavioural and educational intervention, based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. Autism is considered one of five pervasive developmental disorders that are defined by the behavioural symptoms observed in an individual. Although the combination and severity of symptoms vary, individuals who are affected will all experience some degree of developmental delay that may impact significantly on their lives.
The centre offers English language teaching only and specialises in behavioural and educational interventions with a focus on socially significant skills. The school aims to reduce inappropriate or competing behaviour such as non-compliance, tantrums or aggression. Programs are tailored to the needs of each child based on age-appropriate developmental progression.
The centre does not have an operational website but can be contacted on: 02 222 2046.
The Future Centre for Special Needs
The centre educates children from three to 14 years old.
Classes are taught in both Arabic and English mediums. Classes are based on the principles of applied behaviour analysis, and include habilitation/re-habilitation and vocational training. The centre offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, a qualified medical nurse plus a suite of early intervention services.
The centre is located Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi. For more information visit: www.future-centre.org or call 02 553 3506.
Stars for Special Abilities and Early Intervention Centre
The center welcomes individuals from birth to adulthood.
Stars offers a complete set of therapy administered by qualified professionals in the following fields: Speech, Occupational, Psychomotor, ABA therapy as well as Special Education and Psychology. Trainings, activities, counselling are also part of the services offered. The sessions can be provided in English, Arabic, French, Portuguese and Hindi.
The center was one of the first centers for special needs founded in Abu Dhabi 14 years ago and offers assessment, diagnosis, intervention, care coordination, family counselling and support/education for differently abled individuals. The focus of the Center is, as they note, "Quality and dedication to helping children and their families improve their lives."
For more information, please visit www.starzuae.com and call: 02-4462048 and email [email protected]
Sharjah
Wilson Centre for Children
The centre accepts children from birth to 18 years old with a range of Special Educational Needs.
Utilising a traditional classroom setting, the centre offers several teaching models for children aged four to 18 years old, plus early intervention services for children from birth to six years. There is also a multi-disciplinary team for assessment and diagnosis.
Therapies include: occupational therapy, psychology, speech and language therapy, Sensory Integration Therapy and verbal behaviour therapy.
To learn more, Tel: 06 538 3114 email: [email protected] or visit: www.wilsoncentreforchildren.com
Full details of the Centre can be found in our updated Guide to Clinics and Support Groups here
Manzil
Manzil accepts children between the ages of four and 17 years old.
Programmes include: pre-education, general education, an adaptive daily living programme and various art and pre-employment schemes. Therapeutic services include: physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. There’s also sport, horse riding, corporate activities and IT.
For more information call: 06 534 7663, email [email protected] or visit: www.manzil.ae
More
The WSA 2017 SEND Guide - 3 years on
SEND 2017 - Dubai Schools SEND ratings
SEND 2017 - Abu Dhabi Schools SEND Ratings
SEND 2017: UAE Centres offering SEND support
