Delhi govt mandates CCTV for new resource centres supporting children with special needs

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) The Delhi government has directed that all blocks of newly launched resource centres for children with disabilities be equipped with CCTV cameras and function six days a week from 9 am to 5 pm, excluding gazetted holidays, second Saturdays and Sundays.

According to an order issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), these measures are part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) now applicable to the 10 new resource centres (RCs) that were recently opened to provide therapeutic services to children with disabilities (CwDs) and children with special needs (CwSN) enrolled in Delhi government schools.

The standard operating procedure (SOP) mandates the new centres to ensure smooth functioning and coordinated efforts among stakeholders, including special education teachers (SETs), resource centre coordinators, therapists and psychologists.

"All instructions mentioned in the SOP shall be implemented in true letter and spirit," the order stated.

It also made it mandatory for students visiting the centres to be escorted by their SET for assessment and therapy sessions. In cases where an SET is not available, another teacher deputed by the head of school will accompany the child and share details of the therapy session with both the SET and parents.

Each therapy session will last 45 minutes, and children will receive up to eight sessions in a day across all functional centres, the DoE said.

The RCs will offer services of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and clinical psychologists. Needs of children and corresponding therapies will be mapped by the SET at the school-level before referral to centres, it reads.

The heads of schools of institutions linked with the RCs have been instructed to monitor day-to-day activities and ensure safety and proper maintenance of facilities.

The DoE also stressed that lapses concerning security, sanitation and safety of children would be taken "seriously", it added. PTI SHB SHB KSS KSS