Provide special training for employees at care centres for disabled kids, says Ras Adiba

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Social Welfare Department has been urged to provide compulsory special training for employees of childcare centres for special needs children or people with disabilities (OKU), especially children with autism.

OKU Sentral president Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi (pic) said it was high time for autism centre staff to be equipped with relevant and sufficient training.

"I would like to recommend high-level training in caring for autistic children, namely the Board Certified Behaviour Analyst certification, which is managed by a professional body in the United States.

"The government must make it compulsory for carers to obtain the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3. This is important because we will not be able to support these special children if we don’t obtain this certification," she told a press conference at Parliament Monday (Oct 4).

She said this in response to the suspected abuse of an autistic child by a carer at an intervention centre in Bandar Baru Ampang here, which was captured on a video that had gone viral on social media Sunday (Oct 3).

Ras Adiba also stressed that individuals that do not have a high level of patience and empathy should not work in a care centre for disabled children, adding that such opportunities should be given to those who are more deserving.

"These special children need our support, if we don't support and love them then there is no point for us to be there. It is not easy to look after people with disabilities, especially children with diverse needs," she said.

Ras Adiba urged the government to tighten enforcement through the current care centres act so that such incidents would not happen again.

"I implore the Welfare Department and the Women, Family and Community Development Minister to monitor this matter because it has happened one too many times. Do we want to see one of the disabled children die before we do something... enough is enough," she said. - Bernama