Shanay Autism Resource Centre

(Constructed with support from Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited)

Shanay is conceived out of the felt needs of persons with autism, their parents and families, and the need for dissemination of information for enhancing rehabilitation practices. There are many children with autism and developmental disabilities who will benefit from the services provided by Shanay. It is built on the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) plot allotted to SOPAN for setting up an education and training facility for autism. SARC houses the following facilities:

Samarpan School and Training Unit (STU):

The STU is a special school facility. It offers diagnosis, assessment and early intervention services supported by allied therapies for children with autism. The STU employs staff with qualifications recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India. The activities at STU are:

Screening, diagnosis and assessment
Early detection and intervention
Special education
Therapeutics
Adaptive physical education and games
Music, and movement
Guidance and counselling

SAESHA Respite Care Unit (SRCU):

This unit is provides short term care for around 10 persons with autism. The decision to offer the short term care services to relatively small number of users is deliberate. We firmly believe in social inclusion and the right of every person with autism to live within the family system. If a long term permanent residential facility is created, very often it is misused by family members to leave the person with autism there and deprive him/her the right to be mainstreamed and accepted in the community. However, we also understand that parents have responsibilities other than caring for their disabled child, and some of these responsibilities may take them away from the child for a few days/ weeks. The parents need a facility where their child can remain safe and be given quality care in their absence. At SRCU we provide such a facility to parents who need respite from caregiving. The SRCU will offer the following activities:

Safe and reliable Caregiving
Independent living and social skills
Leisure and recreation

Suvidya College of Special Education (Proposed): Suvidya College of Special Education, affiliated to University of Mumbai, was established by SOPAN to meet this need. Our overarching goal is to conduct teacher preparation programs. Since autism intervention and education is relatively new in India, there is a felt need for qualified and competent teachers to work with children with autism and associated conditions in inclusive and special schools.

In keeping with the continuum of teacher preparation, Suvidya runs both initial teacher preparation and continuous professional development programs in special needs education. Additionally, it also conducts capacity building programs for family members of persons with disability, and the community.

Suvidya College is currently functioning at the Andheri East branch. Permissions are awaited to shift the College to Shanay. Currently the unit at Shanay serves as a facility for in-service and pre-service training programs for creation of human resources. Additionally, it also provides training to parents and family members of children with autism. It will be a primary medium for sharing knowledge and skills pertaining to autism specific teaching and management strategies. It will conduct a range of training programs: