For parents of children suffering from behavioral problems, learning disabilities and developmental disorders, the Learning Resource Center in Maadi is considered a haven, offering therapy and solutions for problems that can become major impediments to children's development. Established in September 1996 by three Beth Noujaim, Maha Helali and Nasser Loza, the center provides diagnosis and consultation for both children and adolescents experiencing difficulties and frustration. Services at LRC commence with an Intake Meeting with parents or guardians to establish a profile of the child's developmental, learning, cognitive, language and academic skills. Afterwards, a report is prepared for the family including suggestions and a plan of action. According to Maha Helali, LRC managing director, a Family-Child Support (FCS) program is offered by the center, providing activities for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. The program teaches parents how to include these activities in their daily lives to increase their child's capabilities. The center also provides speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, vision therapy, counseling and educational support services. LRC provides consultation for schools to help them provide a better service for children with learning problems. It also helps schools establish Special Education Needs (SEN) units to cater to the needs of students with specific learning difficulties to keep them enrolled in mainstream schools. Dr Josette Abdalla, LRC clinical psychologist, said the center also offers - in cooperation with the University of London's Institute of Education - a master's or post graduate degree in Special and Inclusive Education, which is accredited by the Egyptian government and other countries around the world. The program is delivered at the LRC premises in Cairo, hosting University of London professors to deliver face-to-face tutorials over three to four weekends per academic year. This way, participants don't have to work around their job schedules. Ongoing tutorial support is also offered through e-mail and study groups organized by the LRC. Enrolled participants also have access to the library services at the Institute of Education as well as the LRC Resource Library. Through this program, LRC aims to grant certification for Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCO) to help schools cater to student's needs. According to Yasser Salah, LRC training center coordinator, the center offers parents, educators and other professionals workshops, training sessions and a variety of learning opportunities. Using creative drama exercises for teens, the LRC teaches adolescents how group building games create team spirit, enhance social skills, teach effective communication strategies, and build a collaborative sense of community. There is also a game club, targeting children ages eight to thirteen years old, which focuses on developing problem solving, cognitive and social skills like cooperation, patience, responsibility, encouragement and planning through game play. The center has also created programs for infants and toddlers aimed at developing fine motor and visual skills, or perceptual motor development for toddlers and infants. Participants will learn how to recognize development milestones, the signs and symptoms of fine motor and visual delays and how to develop them through play. A series of four workshops will be organized over four weeks aimed at helping parents and caregivers build their children's self esteem. "Inclusion means accepting the child in the mainstream of the school, home and the community, and to cater to his or her specific needs, said Helali. "He or she would thus have friends, communicate with others and receive support from all people around him or her. "This can only be implemented if we learn to deal with all children equally, value each one's capabilities, tolerate their differences and embrace their diversity.
