Ummeed Child Development Center

Ummeed's Clinical Services aims to support children and families facing challenges in communication, coordination, attention span, and behaviour. Through developmental paediatric assessments, therapy, and periodic follow-ups, it helps children progress in their physical, cognitive, and social development. Parents can schedule meetings to address concerns and access services on a sliding scale based on their financial situation. The therapy programmes cover a range of skills, including autism intervention, early intervention, mental health services, occupational therapy, special education, and speech intervention. For in-station families, therapists assess the child's skills, set goals, schedule sessions, and create home programmes. Out-station families can arrange consultations and receive local resources. Periodic follow-ups ensure ongoing progress evaluation and consultation with developmental paediatricians, with referrals for specialized tests when needed.

Ummeed Child Development Center provides extensive training services for professionals, parents, and community workers. Its programmes cover autism intervention, developmental paediatrics, early childhood development, and mental health. These include Autism Intervention Training, Behavior Management Workshops, and ECHO Therapy for Autism. Doctors can benefit from the developmental paediatrics fellowship and ECHO Autism sessions. Early childhood development is addressed through programmes like Child Development Aide Training and Introduction to Early Childhood Development. Additionally, there are mental health training programmes covering various topics, such as Narrative Practices, Art, Games, and Mental Health Care. These initiatives reflect Ummeed's commitment to improving the well-being of children and communities.

Ummeed Child Development Center conducts essential community research and impact measurement in line with its mission. This includes adapting and evaluating the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY) for use in the Indian context. This tool assesses children's participation in various activities and the influence of environmental factors. Ummeed's work, published in The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, reveals differences in participation levels between children with and without disabilities. It also offers this tool to other disability-focused organisations. Additionally, Ummeed collaborates on the International Guide for Monitoring Child Development (IGMCD), a tool designed for community health workers in low and middle-income countries to monitor early childhood development. This addresses unique challenges in these regions, promoting better developmental monitoring for children aged 0-42 months.

Ummeed Child Development Center in India runs two key programs: eCDD for early childhood development and disability support, and School Outreach for inclusive education. eCDD trains Community-Based Organisations to aid child development in low-resource areas, addressing the critical early years of a child's life. School Outreach promotes inclusive cultures, policies, and practices in schools. Ummeed's approach involves training, mentorship, and support for schools. It has made an impact by working with teachers and organisations to ensure inclusive education, benefiting children with special needs and underprivileged students in Mumbai.