SHAH ALAM – The Selangor Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) collaborates with the Headstart Academy in facilitating an early intervention programme (IEP) at the education center in order to accelerate and improve the education of children with autism.
MBI Chief Financial Officer, Zannifa Azura Ahmad said the collaboration enabled them to implement programmes such as Smart Parenting, awareness seminars, early screening and therapeutic checks.
According to Zannifa, around 7,000 participants signed up with them from 2016 to December last year.
“Of that number, over 2,000 have already been screened,” she said.
“Therefore, this collaboration will help the participants, in particular the target group of B40, who have children with autism under the age of three years old to make early screening,” she added.
“Then, they can attend such programmes without having to wait up to six months.”
Zannifa said this after the Opening Ceremony of the Headstart Academy and Canteens Community by the Austism Cafe Project (ACP), at SACC Mall, on 14 April.
According to Zannifa, the Headstart Academy is the second center of education that worked with her side.
She added that she welcomes any parties who wanted to cooperate as the participants demand has increased.
The programme also held the Smart Parenting Program Series 1 2019, consisting of parents, caregivers and teachers.
She explained that it was aimed at raising awareness among the parties and assisting the children in their development.
Previously, the EIP also hosted the Smart Parenting workshop and had some spin off programmes with parents, local authorities and government agencies.
The 1 Taska 1 Ambassador programme was also held to encourage educators to be able to handle children with special needs in the nursery.
