Besides various services, which Malteser Consultation and Service Center holds in supporting marginalized people, children with mental and physical problems, disabled elderly, people with few opportunities, so that they feel equal to other people, a very important place is given to the treatment three times a week to 22 autistic people of ages 3 to 16 years, almost all of autistic spectrum.
A very facilitating support is the monthly meeting the Center has with the parents of these autistic children. The purpose of these meetings is to provide information on their children’s progress, information and experience exchange among parents themselves, or offer solutions about some problems shown up from the previous meetings.Thursday, 30 January, the legal assistant, specialist of social insurance, was invited to speak, as parents are not familiar with the legislation on services to people with disabilities. He explained to parents the way they should follow to obtain assistance for disability and the assistant, since some of them do not know they can benefit it as assistant of the child.
Other discussed issues were: the accommodation of children with autistic problems in kindergarten; children’s transportation to treatment centers or special school; if the assistant at the child’s classroom is paid by the state; difficulties teachers have when communicate and teach especially autistic children, because they lack the necessary training; the presence of a trained teacher in emergency cases for autistic children who have epilepsy; the presence of a psychologist in suburban schools.
Three children of the Center who are to start school, will be systematically assisted in all aspects of their development and accommodation at the centers they get service, in order to start school in September.