28-Apr-2015
Sudha Nambudiri
KOCHI: Rehabilitation and therapy centres for special children have started allowing parents to accompany their wards during sessions following the TOI report on how they are kept away from such sessions.
Helpless parents, who had formed a group 'Together We Can', reported that therapy centres have started to respond to their requests. "Today, after my child completed his session with the therapist, I was called for feedback and the therapist said that I could sit with my child during the session," said an elated mother who didn't want to be named.
Another parent said that a centre's director said that he was helpless as therapists refused to allow parents to sit with children during sessions. "He said a senior therapist had threatened to quit if parents were allowed to watch," the parent said.
Meanwhile, the group, 'Together We Can', will send a petition to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), demanding a regulatory mechanism to ensure that special children are treated well. Psychologist and special educator Seema Lal, the coordinator of the group, said that several centres had called to say that they would try and accommodate parents during sessions. "We will mail all centres and ask therapists to devote an hour to train parents. Centres are responding as they have realized that parents are discussing issues together and raising common concerns," she said.
Parents pay Rs 200 to Rs 500 per session for their children. Each child gets about two sessions a week because of the huge demand for therapists.
"We will definitely look into the issue. It is unfortunate that till date no such report has come to our attention. It is indeed a cause for concern if parents are not allowed to watch therapy sessions held with their wards," said S Jayakesan, registrar, KSCPCR.
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