CM Sukhu Flags Off ‘Therapy on Wheels’ to Provide Specialised Services to Children with Special Needs.
Shimla:
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today flagged off three Mobile Resource Centre vehicles under the ‘Therapy on Wheels’ initiative of Samagra Shiksha, marking a significant step towards strengthening inclusive education and improving access to specialised support for children with special needs (CwSN).
The initiative, being implemented under the Inclusive Education component of Samagra Shiksha in collaboration with the Samphia Foundation, aims to bring specialised therapy, rehabilitation, special education and other support services closer to children and their families, particularly those living in rural, remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would help address the challenges posed by Himachal Pradesh’s difficult geographical terrain and limited accessibility to specialised services. The mobile centres will provide multidisciplinary services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special education, screening and need-based assessment, along with therapy and rehabilitation services.
The centres will also offer counselling and parental guidance, training to improve functional abilities and independence, and follow-up and referral services wherever required. These services are expected to support children in improving their communication, mobility, learning and daily-life skills.
Initially, the ‘Therapy on Wheels’ initiative will be implemented in Mandi, Shimla and Kangra districts. The government plans to progressively extend the mobile resource centre services to all districts of the state to ensure wider access to therapy, rehabilitation and specialised support.
The initiative will also focus on early identification and screening of children with special needs, assessment, parental counselling, awareness generation, and orientation and training of teachers and special educators. This will help create a stronger support system for children both at home and in educational institutions.
The programme is expected to improve educational participation, communication skills, functional abilities, independence and social participation among children with special needs. It will also empower parents and teachers with the knowledge and skills required to provide continued assistance to children at home and in schools.
State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Rajesh Sharma, along with senior officers, was present on the occasion.
