The primary occupations of children and young people are play and study. However, children and young people with special needs often require assistance to engage in these activities. The professional who can do this in the most qualified way is the occupational therapist. They facilitate children’s activities by:
- Recommending and selecting positioning, movement, and mobility aids for individuals with limitations in these functions – orthopedic chairs, orthoses, standing devices, walking aids, electric wheelchairs;
- Adapting the physical environment to enhance accessibility for individuals using mobility equipment – ramps, elevators, various supports;
- Recommending and using communication aids for individuals with limited communication abilities;
- Recommending and using assistive learning tools for children with limitations in cognitive functions, such as software for facilitating reading, writing, mathematics, etc.;
- Properly adapting the home environment and educational organizations where children and young people with special needs are located – bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, sports and play areas, etc.
If applied correctly, the activities and equipment listed above significantly contribute to improving the quality of life for individuals with special needs. As a result, the occupation of occupational therapist has become highly necessary. Therefore, the Tony Hawks Center Foundation has been making efforts for several years to expand the range of services for children with special needs through investments in the training of specialists. Within the project “Expanding the Rehabilitation Team for Children and Youth with Special Needs through the Creation of Occupational Therapy Services,” the foundation aims to create, launch, and pilot the occupational therapy service for children and young people with special needs aged between 10 and 18.
The project also involves the construction of an adjoining room on the Center’s terrace and furnishing it with furniture and equipment adapted to individuals with special needs. Starting in September 2022, occupational therapy services will be provided directly in this space.
In addition to improving the quality of life for children with special needs, the project aims to raise public awareness about the importance of the occupational therapy profession. It will increase the involvement of local public administrations in addressing accessibility issues for individuals with special needs and enhance the knowledge of professionals in the field of pediatric rehabilitation regarding the occupational therapy specialty and assistive technologies.
The project, which will run from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2023, is implemented by the Tony Hawks Center Foundation with funding from the European Union. It is part of the “Civil Society Organizations Act for Better Social Services” project, co-financed and implemented by the Soros Moldova Foundation in partnership with the Keystone Moldova Association and the AO Institutum Virtutes Civilis.