SPD: "Little ABLE's" Childrens Sanctuary

OUR VISION

 "Little ABLE's"  exists to provide its children with a safe haven where stimulation and care are provided to enable them to achieve maximum development of their individual skills, abilities and knowledge.

OUR VALUES

 Our vision is underpinned by a set of shared values which reflect a belief that all children:

 ·        Have the right to a secure and nurturing environment

·        Should be enabled through stimulation and learning

 ·        Have spiritual, moral, social, creative     and cultural needs that should be acknowledged and met

 ·        Should be prepared see opportunities, take responsibilities and have the necessary experiences to prepare them for formal education

 ·        Should be guided towards establishing self-worth, acquire self-assertiveness skills and strive to achieve

·        Should be couched to integrate into mainstream society

·        Have carers, educators and therapists that strive for their optimal well-being, value diversity and difference and work towards educational and societal inclusion   

The project originated as a result of continued observation of a number of children failing admission criteria to existing resources. “Little ABLE’s” Children’s Sanctuary was established to meet the need of these special children.

It is also envisioned to provide a facility where parents, family and carers of other facilities for children may receive support and guidance to become self-assured and comfortable with meeting the challenges of rearing a child with special needs

• The project was developed on an eight-pillar model: day care services, 24-hour care, parent counseling, support groups, care giver training, respite services, step-down services and a disability-childlike.

• A day care facility was opened in December 2004 with admission of four children with a maximum capacity of 20. A pre-excellence program including all forms of physical therapies, is presented on an individual basis with the goal to have children re-admitted to a regular facility.

• Bi-monthly evaluation of each child is fed back to parents at parents meetings with directives to administer the pre-scribed program at home. Parents are regularly counseled and introduced to the support group.

• A 24-hour Care Unit was launched in November 2007 accommodating 20 children under supervision of two housemothers and care givers.

The period 2009/2010 was a wonderful year for the “Little ABLE’s” Children’s Sanctuary.  In this time 25 children took part in the project: 7 of them are on the waiting lists to be evaluated at formal educational facilities (Thami Mogoaneng was the first to be placed at Pretoria School early in 2009).  Currently there are 14 children in the project and we are looking forward to a great mobilization number towards the end of 2010.

The project is not state-subsidized and is thus run entirely on parent fees and donor funding.

Outcomes of the project are amazing - confirmed by the turn-over of these children. Some have benefited so much that they were re-admitted within weeks to facilities from which they have previously been rejected. Service investments in these special children have given them a chance to enter educational systems where they can be exposed to formal learning

 The project was created to accommodate 20 children and the aim of 2009 was to get the project to reach its full potential.  We are very proud to say that the number of children grew from 3 to 14 in this year, with a current evaluation waiting list in place.

Major changes regarding personnel took place: Two caregivers resigned, whilst the project was blessed with four new, very competent caregivers. The first male caregiver was appointed which was a great asset to the practical functioning of the daily program – it always helps to have a strong man at hand! A new supervisor was also appointed to the project.  Ms Sonti Pilusa took over as physiotherapist, while a team of four occupational therapists   performed excellent work at the centre.  A highlight was physiotherapy interns from Saxion University in Enschede, the Netherlands doing their placement at SPD and working in the project. The children benefited by this initiative and their hard work was truly appreciated

Unfortunately, less good news is also as part of the project:  Terrence Mokoana passed away in January 2010, and three children could not rejoin the project after severe illnesses.  Many of our kids simply are too weak to recover well when health problems occur. 

“Little ABLE’s” also took in a little boy referred by Social Development.  The project agreed, as an exception, to take 24-hour responsibility for the four-year old child who was in severe neglected condition.  Currently Domingo is still very weak, and his health is of great concern.

The supervisor primarily took care of him and with his constant hospitalisation the project was pulled through some real tough times.

The focus for 2010/2011 was without a doubt, FUNDING.  The project was running at astonishing financial losses and it truly was a challenge to keep taking good care of the kids under these circumstances.  While parents are very committed to paying their monthly fees, these amounts simply were by far not enough to cover salaries, food, therapies and medical care to name a few.  It is a main drive to finally obtain state subsidy, while weekly meetings with potential sponsors and donators took place. 2010/2011 is a financial make or break year for “Little ABLE’s” – it is the support and good heartedness of the community that keeps these very special kids cared for on excellent standards.  The truth in this statement will most certainly be proved clearer this year than ever before …