Mrs. Ban visits daycare centre for children with autism, and launches newly-published tool for familiesAt the beginning of the two day visit of the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon to Serbia, Mrs. Ban, was accompanied by Mrs. Natasa Jeremic and H.R.H. Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic, and visited the Belgrade-based “Dr. Olga Hadži Antonović daycare center“ for children with autism. The Center opened in 1990 carries out out daily living activities aimed at improving the quality of life of the persons with autism and their families. The activities include indoor and outdoor activities such as weaving, pottery, soap and candle making, making wicker baskets, picnics, walks around the city and parks, gym, swimming pools, and other. All activities are being adapted to the abilities and interests of persons with autism. In total, 193 specialists in different fields are working with over 500 beneficiaries of the centre. “Autism is an issue close to my heart, and my husband and I have been very involved in the efforts to raise awareness on the issue”, said Ms. Ban. “I hope that Serbia will join the Global Autism Public Health Initiative (GAPH) which is spearheaded by Autism Speaks. GAPH transcends social, cultural and geographic boundaries, increasing awareness, service delivery and research collaborations around the world. Serbia can be a powerful partner and leader in this initiative.” In order to raise awareness and provide information to parents and to support new academic and medical advances, ‘Autism Speaks’ and the UNDP have adapted and translated a guide to parent mediated intervention, a 100 Day Kit, for families newly-diagnosed instances of autism. Over the past year a team of experts has worked on this publication that we are releasing today. “Let me applaud the work of this team which includes representatives from the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Republic Autism Society, WHO, UNDP, and the National Association of Persons with Disabilities,” said Mrs. Ban. ### About the Daycare Centre “Dr. Olga Hadži Antonović'': The centre was opened in 1990, when only one other faciltiy existed in all of Serbia. The Center accomodates 32 people aged 20 to 43, with mild to server autism spectrum disorder. Daily care center “Dr. Olga Hadži Antonović'' is a part of the Center for housing and day care for children and youth with disabilities'' which includes two more objects for persons with autism - a daily centre and a residential type facility. In addition, within the center exist several more daily care centers for people with intellectual disabilities. Visit www.centarbgd.org.rs to learn more about the centre. About the situation of children with autism in Serbia: Early diagnosis, treatment, and involvement in the educational process are crucial for children with autism. In this way, they can be supported to develop social and communication skills, become more independent and lead productive lives. Very few children's clinics in Serbia performs diagnosis, and there is no unified implementation of international protocols in order to get proper diagnosis. Exact number of persons with autism in Serbia remains unknown, but it is believed that there are several thousands of them. - Law on inclusive education adopted in 2011 regulates mandatory schooling of children with disabilities. - Law on social protection adopted in 2011 regulates social activities of public interest aimed at providing support and empowerment for independent and productive lives of individuals and families in society, as well as prevention of efforts and eliminating the consequences of social exclusion. « Go back |
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