Ministry of Community Development Launches Initiatives that Enhance Inclusion of People with Autism

Nasser Ismail:
Ministry is Keen to Provide Screening and Early Detection with International Standards

Wafa Bin Sulaiman:

Autism Guide Supports Targeted Categories“Autism Platform” Includes Social Stories Issued by the Ministry

4561 Cases in UAE, 80% Males of total number72 Autism Education and Rehabilitation Specialized Centers for (1667) Students

United Arab Emirates-Ministry of Community Development, Dubai-2022

Coinciding with the Autism Awareness Month during "April 2022" under the theme “Inclusive Quality Education for All”, the Ministry of Community Development launched a series of initiatives to increase the awareness of the community of these categories, disseminate inclusive education, empower people with Autism Syndrome Disorder (ASD) through several initiatives that reinforce the ministry's vision of achieving the best education for this category based on the national policy for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the efforts of the ministry to support both parents and families in all autism centers and different members of the community.

In Mid-April 2021, the cabinet approved the “National Policy for People with Autism Disorder Spectrum” under the “United for Autism” vision to provide an integrated system of unified procedures and standards to provide persons with ASD with easy-access services for people with autism and their parents.

Excellency Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Welfare at the Ministry of Community Development registered (4561) autism cases were registered all over the UAE of which (885) are females and (3676) are males forming (80%) of the total number of autism category. The total number of Emirati citizens with autism reached (2004) cases of the total number all over the UAE representing (44%), noting that there are (72) specialized centers in the education and rehabilitation of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) all over the UAE. About (1,667) students are admitted in the center and provided with various rehabilitation, educational and therapeutic services. The Ministry is authorized to issue the licenses of private centers in the UAE for students of different nationalities. These centers provide special education and supporting therapeutic services while others provide vocational rehabilitation and early intervention services.

Excellency Nasser Ismail stated that the most prominent services provided for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the centers of the Ministry of Community Development, include diagnosis, detection and early intervention in accordance with tests and standards globally approved, educational classes for students, supporting therapeutic services such as sensory and functional language treatment and speech disorders to develop children's communication abilities, behavioral therapy for behavioral problems to help children face several situations, adapt and learn, practice sports activities, recreational and musical activities aimed at the inclusion of these children into the local environment, outdoor activities programs such as swimming and therapeutic horse riding in cooperation with community institutions in addition to family counselling and training services to empower families participate in the rehabilitation and training process, and pre-vocational rehabilitation services to prepare students for future careers.

Autism Guide Launched

Wafa Bin Sulaiman, Director of Welfare & Rehabilitation Department at the Ministry of Community Development announced that the Ministry of Community Development will launch the Autism Guide which explains facts and procedures for those concerned categories, organize a forum in the holy month of Ramadan to support people of with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their parents. The Ministry will also launch through its website the autism platform which contains (55) thorough and rich social stories issued over the past years covering various social situations in all environments that may face people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on the response to the demands of parents in putting forward the most important situations that require preparation, training and empowerment. The platform also provides parents, specialists and those concerned with the most important topics and information about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Wafa Bin Sulaiman said: “The theme of celebrating World Autism Awareness Day ‘Inclusive Quality Education for All’ coincides with the fourth goal of UN Sustainable Development about ‘education for all’ including inclusive education of people of determination which is becoming increasingly important during and after COVID-19 pandemic, education of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) should be given extra attention and welfare.

The Ministry of Community Development seeks to support and empower people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their parents at different age stages as part of the National Policy with people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which includes high-quality early diagnosis and clear learning pathways that meet their individual needs at various educational stages, work and public life, thereby supporting their inclusion, stability in the community and raise their wellbeing.