Jammu, Oct 02: Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sheetal Nanda on Monday inaugurated ‘VYOM’ (Vibrant Young Open Minds) – a child developmental centre at Lower Roopnagar here. It has been established by Social Welfare Department in collaboration with Brainpreneurs Foundation.
The Commissioner Secretary highlighted the challenges being faced by the parents in wanting such a child development centre. “It has been a constant demand in UT for the opening of such early intervention centre which caters to the need of intellectually challenged children with neurodiverse needs, she said, adding that this facility of VYOM shall not only provide holistic state-of-the-art facilities for development needs of intellectually-disabled children but also aims at the identification of children who need early intervention.
Brainpreneurs’ representatives, Dr Sushil Razdan (Neurologist) and Sunaina Tickoo (CEO Brainpreneurs) highlighted VYOM’s role in providing comprehensive services like physiotherapy, special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychological assessments, parent and child counselling, life coaching, career counselling, and more, all under one roof.
The Social Welfare Department provides a child development centre facility free of cost to the PHH and AAY Ration card holders and very nominal charges shall be charged from other beneficiaries which shall ensure that the benefits of the centre is being taken by all in need of such care.
VYOM is designed to cater to children with various neurodiverse backgrounds, including intellectual disabilities, slow learning, autism, ADHD, and cerebral palsy. Social Welfare Department’s efforts and Brainpreneurs’ expertise, VYOM’s impact extends beyond its centre. It has already conducted teacher training programs in various government schools, enhancing awareness and identification of special needs with the help of child and adolescent psychologists. VYOM will commence operations on October 3, 2023.
Various representatives of NGOs working for the interest of PWDs, Anganwadi workers, superintendents of childcare institutions and other officers and officials of the department participated in the programme.
Vivek Sharma, Director General Social Welfare, Jammu, Harvinder Kour, Mission Director, Mission Vatsalya and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
