Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, launched the Sensory Rooms Project for People of Determination in Al Jimi Mall in Al Ain, coinciding with World Autism Day
Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, launched the Sensory Rooms Project for People of Determination in Al Jimi Mall in Al Ain, coinciding with World Autism Day, as part of a project aimed at incorporating six "sensory rooms" in commercial centers and public areas in Abu Dhabi. These rooms are safe spaces for children of determination, especially children with autism, to enhance their welfare and access to public places, and to enhance the treatment and rehabilitation services provided to them.
The official inauguration, which was held at Al Jimi Mall in Al Ain, was attended by His Excellency Nafeh Ali Al Hammadi, Executive Director of the Support Services Sector at Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, His Excellency Eng. Thamer Rashid Al Qasimi, Executive Director of the Special Projects and Communication Sector at Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, as well as parents and families of people of determination.
This step comes within the framework of realizing the vision of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to provide the best services and adopt the latest technologies to provide a fulfilled life for people of determination, facilitating their empowerment and social inclusion, and to advance the early childhood development sector in the Emirate. As part of this project, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority has equipped all the sensory rooms, ensuring that health and safety requirements are met. Working, using, operating and managing devices and their requirements. Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination contributed to the preparation of a work plan for the development of the rooms, as well as providing supervision and follow-up, identification of areas and facilities for the implementation of the project and coordinating project implementation.
His Excellency Abdullah Abdulalee Al Humaidan, Secretary General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, praised the cooperation between the organization and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority in supporting efforts to provide services and facilities to individuals with autism through the project of providing sensory units in public places in order to achieve Abu Dhabi's vision of delivering exemplary services and innovations. Such efforts go a long way toward ensuring quality of life for our children of determination, especially those with autism, and facilitating the creation of an inclusive society where all people of determination benefit from equal attention and support.
He emphasized that the joint project between the organization and the authority to provide dedicated safe spaces and areas for children of determination supports the national framework of treatment and rehabilitation, and comes under the supervision and follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Foundation's Board of Directors, with the aim of making Abu Dhabi inclusive and accessible for people of determination, in line with the efforts of various institutions and entities to transform UAE, making it welcoming society for people of determination, and creating a healthy social environment that enables their social inclusion, by facilitating their enjoyment of visiting shopping centers with their families without obstacles.
He extended his thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, for his support of early childhood initiatives and projects for people of determination launched by Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, extending his appreciation to their Highnesses and officials of the authority who provide support for the comprehensive development of children and continually strive to enhance their well-being.
Her Excellency Sanaa Mohamed Suhail, head of the establishment team at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, said: “Within the authority, we are eager to cooperate with our partners to further develop the framework of direct and indirect services provided in the early childhood sector in the fields of health and nutrition, child protection, family support, care and education. We also dedicate efforts to early intervention, with a focus on services provided to children of determination, by enhancing the capabilities of our partners and enabling them to support the comprehensive development of the child, and contribute to the development of integrated early intervention programs in accordance with the best international practices in the child's natural environment, for children exposed to developmental delay and children of determination, in addition recruiting and educating local specialists in this field and raising community awareness.
Her Excellency affirmed that this cooperative project between the authority and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination comes as part of the joint efforts made by both parties, to enable children who suffer from social, emotional or sensory disturbances in public places, toward accelerating their integration, improving the capabilities of parents and providing them with the necessary expertise and resources to ensure the healthy development of their children. These collaborative efforts also include the provision of quality care to children of determination, spreading awareness regarding sensory disorders, promoting best practices related to child behavior modification, and encouraging the adoption of innovative methods and tools to support them.
The project targets pre-school and early school-age children of determination on the Autism Spectrum, as well as those with learning difficulties, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and sensory integration disorders, as the sensory room helps children to engage in the education process, enabling them to act socially appropriate through the development of normalized playing skills and behaviors, and helping them cope in crowded environments, in addition to helping them transition toward formal schooling by improving their abilities to follow orders and instructions.
Sensory rooms are a modern innovation for relaxation, and it is a new service that is used as part of treatment and early intervention programs for autistic children. These rooms contain stimuli and tools that assist children in calming down by helping them develop their skills, and providing a dedicated space that provides users with various sensory stimuli, including visual, auditory and olfactory effects, as well as deep sensory perception, with the aim of calming the user and increasing their ability to pay attention and focus. The rooms can be used in various facilities, such as rehabilitation centers, schools, nurseries, shopping centers, and in specialized institutions, as well as airports and outdoor parks, the sensory rooms can also be used to treat other groups of people of determination, especially those who are behaviorally challenged.
The sensory rooms contribute to enhancing the integration of children who suffer from social, emotional or sensory disorders that can be triggered in public places, as this room provides different levels of calming factors, to support individuals who suffer from sensory problems and enable them to regulate their neural responses to external stimuli. They give them a peaceful getaway and help them develop coping skills when faced with challenging situations.
SOURCE
