COMING SOON: Global State early identification and early intervention for children with a disability
Globally, over 240 million children live with disabilities – 95% of whom are in low- and middle-income countries. Many of these children are not identified or supported until after age five, missing a critical window for early development. Lack of early identification and intervention contributes to poorer developmental outcomes, avoidable deaths, and lifelong exclusion.
The Early Identification and Intervention Global State Initiative Liliane Fonds, JF Kapnek Zimbabwe, and CHAI are working on a Global State Report focused on low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia. The initiative includes literature reviews, surveys, interviews with 20+ stakeholders, and policy mapping. The project also aims to build a resource hub and explore a coalition to scale the best practices in identifying and supporting children with (or at risk of) disabilities. Early insights from this work highlight ongoing challenges, promising practices, and opportunities to strengthen global collaboration.
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The earlier the intervention process begins for a child with disability, the better the prospects for his/her future. Conversely, the longer it takes for a child to receive customised support, the harder it becomes to participate fully in the world. Moreover, this increases the likelihood of the child suffering irreparable developmental delays or damage to his or her health.
Therefore, we focus with our partner organisations on identifying children with a disability early on. So they can start their personal journey as soon as possible and obtain the most favourable result possible.
In 2023, we launched several pathways with our partners aimed at early identification and intervention, including in Burundi and India.
Burundi
In Burundi, we improve the identification and care of children aged 0 to 5. To this end, 120 volunteers are being trained to identify children. They also learn to refer children and provide basic home-based help. What’s more, they receive training on how to break down shame in the community. The goal is to identify and support at least 2,000 children by 2026. The first step in 2023 involved recruiting volunteers and developing training materials.
For a child with a disability to grow, it is essential that the environment also develops. At the heart of our work is the advancement of communities for people with disabilities. This is because the development of children and young people begins in their immediate family and community environment. A stimulating environment is vital for children and young people with a disability to reach their full potential.
We want to empower these children and young people while ensuring their health, well-being, development and participation. We strive both for the inclusion of people with a disability in the community and for the development of children and their parents. This requires a holistic approach.
