WATCH: Special needs day care centre for special needs children opens
At the centre, children with special needs will receive individual care with one teacher for every three children.
A ribbon was cut at Special Moments Day Care in Edleen on June 6 to welcome children with special needs.
Established on January 9, 2017, the facility now moved to an improved location.
“Our mission is to bring education, therapy and basic life skills to children with all types of disabilities and education barriers. With this goal in mind, we have set forth with the hope that we can make a difference,” said Sarika Bhaghan (29), who opened the centre.
Bhaghan caters to children whose parents fear that because their child has a problem they’ll never be able to become what they aspire.
“We have children with big dreams of becoming an engineer, a pilot or a doctor, so we truly try to help them,” Bhaghan said.
For her, Special Moments Day Care is not a business but her passion. At her centre, children with special needs receive individual care with one teacher for every three children. Currently, she offers the services of six teachers who teaches from the Impaq curriculum.
Bhaghan told Express she started her career in Durban at a special needs school without knowing what special needs entailed. She was completing her studies to become a Grade One to Three teacher for ordinary children.
She said as a group of 16 teachers who received two weeks of training, she was selected as one of the few for the job.
“After that, I did my first potty training. It was amazing how four out of five autistic children who couldn’t even speak at age 10 or 11 were still in nappies.”
At the end of the day, after receiving a manual and guidance from her boss, she knew what she was going to do.
Victorious, Bhaghan managed to train all five autistic children to potty train after a reeling 36-hour session.
“One of the mothers cried when she saw her child managing to use the loo, flush the pan and wash his hands.”
After that, her heart was set on teaching and assisting children with special needs. She asked her boss to help her receive the proper training, known as Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA).
Bhaghan said it’s not only about looking after children with special needs but being able to teach them.
“Some of our children are so bright but parents and nannies don’t always understand their capabilities until they come to me and I am able to teach them.”
Special Moments Day Care is an NPO which offers its services to the community. Bhaghan invites the community to offer their contributions as most of their expenses are covered by themselves.
She also humbly asks anyone who is in the position to donate an ABS-approved jungle gym that’s able to be modified for special needs.
If readers are in a position to contribute, Bhaghan on 084 773 2425, or visit her centre at 139 Rienert Avenue.
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