No Education Aimed at Children with Disabilities 

People with disabilities represent an estimated 15% of the world’s population – this figure is often higher among populations affected by conflict. In Syria, for example, a recent survey found that 27% of people aged 12-years and over have a disability and in some governorates, most households have at least one member with a disability.

People with disabilities are often in greater need of humanitarian assistance but are less likely to receive it. They are excluded from school, decent work, healthcare, and other services. As such, these members of the world’s largest minority are disproportionately exposed to extreme poverty and isolation, and sometimes also violence.

As well as facing barriers preventing their full participation in their communities, people with disabilities may be unable to access humanitarian assistance on an equal basis. Factors preventing their access include stigma and discrimination, negative attitudes and behaviours, and a one size fits all approach to assistance.

Several barriers restrict refugee children from the age group of 3-18yrs from attending schools such as; limited capacity in public schools, excessive cost of transportation, language barriers and curriculum complexity. For children with disabilities and their families, these challenges are doubled. Due to the curriculum complexity and lack of funding there is no education specially aimed at children with disabilities.

The Hub will become their safe space wherein they acquire knowledge, skills, confidence, self-esteem development, and care that empowers them to become strong individuals in their society. This is done by a team of special and certified teachers for special needs:

• SEN teacher, speech therapist for children with disabilities, and a shadow teacher.
  
  
• SEN teachers help young people who need extra support with their learning and will often work with children who have specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and physical disabilities.
  
  
• Speech therapists or speech-language pathologists are trained personnel who work with children having speech-related disorders.

This project is based on an assessment of needs in three different refugee camps in Lebanon, to find out the number and type of children with special needs found in each camp. Three main outcomes were found; the need for health support, the need for education support, and the need for raising awareness among parents and the community, to increase inclusion and adaptation.

The project is to target two types of special needs groups who require primary interventions.

1. The children with a physical disability who are out of school.
These are the children who are physically disabled but have good mental status and can develop in receiving education. They are out of school only because they cannot get registered in schools for economic reasons and transportation means.

2. The children with speaking difficulties and/or speaking disabilities.
These children often have a physical anomaly that prevents them from speaking properly. They have difficulties in pronunciation, utterance, and expression. A high percentage of these children drop out of school simply because they cannot stand the abuse from other children.