Children with special needs - cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory disorders and chronic illnesses – face myriad challenges integrating into society and realizing their potential, while their families and caregivers require much support. Research results have shown that children and youth with special needs are at greater risk of experiencing abuse and neglect, and that a higher frequency of delinquency occurs among children with learning disabilities and with mental impairments. Not only must children and youth with special needs cope with being excluded from and distanced by society; their families often experience this social isolation as well.
Ashalim's programs raise awareness of their challenges, break down stigmas and create opportunities for special needs young people and their families to feel part of Israeli society. In addition, our programs address the challenges of preventing and dealing with phenomena of harm and abuse among the special needs population.
We focus our efforts on a number of circles that influence the world of the child with special needs and his family - the child and his family, the community of children and youth with a similar disability and their families, the professionals who treat the child and members of his family, and normative society. These circles do have a potential for risk, but through them, it is possible to turn the risk into an opportunity:
Ashalim programs for children and youth with special needs aim to:
- Develop models of including and integrating children and youth with special needs at various stages of development in normative frameworks in all spheres of life.
- Develop interventions to support and strengthen the family raising a child with special needs.
- Develop intervention programs for preventing, identifying and treating abuse and harm.
Read about :
A Friend to the Family.
Preparation for Life
