Delhi Council for Child Welfare (DCCW) and Smile Foundation have come together to run outreach daycare programme for children of special needs at three centres in Delhi.

The programme named ‘Bal Chetna’ is providing support to Mentally Retarded Children.

About The Project

The Smile supported outreach daycare programme ‘Bal Chetna’ for mentally challenged children are being run in three locations of Delhi namely Sultanpuri, Nangloi and New Seemapuri.

Bal Chetna is DCCW’s Respite Home and Day Care facility for mentally challenged children. The children are divided into groups according to the level of their disability as well as on the basis of their IQ (Intelligence Quotient). These groups follow different schedule with activities designed to suit their individual skills and abilities.

Services at Bal Chetna Centres for Beneficiaries:

Ø Physiotherapy/ Occupational Therapy
Ø Speech Therapy
Ø Music Therapy/ Play therapy
Ø Special Education
Ø Vocational Training
Ø Psychological Evaluation
Ø Yoga
Ø Parents meeting and Counseling
Ø Home Training programme
Ø Midday Meal and Supplementary Nutrition
Ø A Dream Garden with a make-believe zoo, milk booth, traffic signal, bus stop and a fruit and vegetable vending booth, to expose the children to the activities and features of the life in the city as well as to nature.

Every year many children are integrated into mainstream schools and institutes for regular schooling as well as advanced vocational training. Special educators monitor their progress and remains in touch with the teacher and parents of the children. A total of 130 children, in the age group (0-8 year) reside at PALNA (an Adoption Home of DCCW) and around 120 staff members and three resident doctors are dedicated to the care of these needy inmates.

The resident doctors work under the supervision of a senior consultant and a panel of specialist comprising a Psychologist, a Dentist, and an Eye Specialist. PALNA also has physiotherapist, nurses, housekeeper, and maids to tend to the children’s needs.

About the Partner

Delhi Council for Child Welfare (DCCW) a registered society was established in 1952 to aid and care for thousand of children in New Delhi who had been displaced during the riots during partition of the subcontinent. Since its inception DCCW has tried to encompass all the areas where children needed a help and support. The crèche programme was initiated in 1975 to provide day care facilities for underprivileged children. The Anganwadi programme which has been running since 1976 to educate women in rural areas and urban slums on the basics of maternity and child care, nutrition, hygiene and child rearing. In June 1987, DCCW launched Mobile Orthopedic Programme, and an Orthopedic Center was set up in 1991. Bal Chetna was established in July 2002, to support mentally handicapped children from underprivileged families.

Over the years DCCW’s Programmes have evolved to meet the need of the underprivileged children of Delhi and surrounding areas.

Various Programmes and Facilities

Crèche Programme - A total of 1500 children, in the age group 0-5 year attend the Council’s crèches everyday where they are looked after, given non-formal education, pre-school lesson and also nutritious meals.

The Orthopedic Centre – Facilities like Corrective Surgery, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, provision of aids, vocational training and library.

Bal Chetna - The services at Bal Chetna include physiotherapy / occupational therapy, music, play therapy, special education, speech therapy, vocational training, home training programme, supplementary nutrition and yoga.

PALNA – Has a team of doctors, nurse and trained caregivers, a panel of pediatricians, doctors, physiotherapists and child psychologists monitor the health and development of the children.

Anganwadi Worker – The workers are trained to disseminate information to village women on the importance of breast feeding, immunization and the handling of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria etc.