Ministry of Community Development completes implementation of transformation project “Emirate Early Intervention Program”

The Department of Community Development has completed the implementation of the transformative project, the Emirate Early Intervention Programme, which aims to identify children with developmental delays and those at risk early by expanding its service coverage to include the Emirate of Ajman and the UAE. The equipment and operation of two early intervention units in the Dibba Al Fujairah area was completed by the end of July..

The ‘UAE Early Intervention Programme’ project falls within the scope of the Federal Government Institutions Performance Agreement for 2023-2024, supporting the UAE government’s goal of accelerating the achievement of the ‘Making the UAE society the most vibrant and prosperous in the next decade’ and enhancing the ‘We are the UAE 2031’ vision, which requires efforts to improve quality and multiply, contributing to the realization of the government’s aspirations and having a positive impact on society and all sectors of the country..

The project is a translation of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “May God Protect Him”, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, “May God Protect Him”, with the goal of developing government work, improving its achievements and outputs, and keeping pace with the first decade of the process of achieving the ten principles of the new fifty-year state and tracking global changes that require the use of the latest technological means to accelerate achievements and set priorities for the design of transformative projects that have a direct impact on society and enhance the UAE’s global position..

The Emirates Early Intervention Programme is considered proactive and will have a significant social impact in the various emirates and regions where its services are expanded, as early detection of children with developmental delays helps educate families about early developmental signs in children and increases awareness of noticing any signs of abnormalities which, if not addressed, may lead to disabilities later in life..

The program helps train families and parents to observe and follow up their children and quickly provide treatment, support and educational services by transferring the children to nearby early intervention units, thus avoiding the developmental gap between the children’s chronological age and their developmental age and worsening their condition. .

This will have a long-term impact and provide children with the opportunity to receive public education and continue their educational journey with their peers after the early intervention phase, thereby integrating them into society effectively..

The first phase of the transformative project, the Emirates Early Intervention Program, will be launched in December 2023. By reviewing and drawing on international best practices in the field of early intervention, the program will conduct field surveys on children in kindergartens and nurseries with the aim of intervening in children’s health as early as possible. In addition to starting to equip two early intervention units in Dibba Fujairah and Ajman, the two units will also serve children in the UAE. Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain..

The program has had a significant impact on the progress of children’s cases, by developing their developmental skills, preventing their deterioration so that they do not reach the stage of disability, and providing them with opportunities for inclusive education later on through the development of individual plans. Since 2024, the number of beneficiaries in the Ajman and Dibba Al Fujairah units has reached /91..

Since its inception, the UAE Early Intervention Programme has served children under the age of six from three broad categories, namely children with disabilities, children with developmental delays and children at risk of developmental delays, in addition to their families, through the Early Intervention Centre in Dubai and the Early Intervention Units in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah..

From 2015 to July 2024, the project provided services to 1,398 children and their families, and its work teams conducted field development surveys with 7,102 children during the same period..