In the Philippines, many children with developmental delays or disabilities lack appropriate support, while their caregivers often have limited knowledge of early development needs. In response, Save the Children launched the ABLE programme to provide vital support for children with developmental delays and disabilities, and their families. The programme also empowered them to participate in advocating for responsive government policies, ensuring every child has a fair opportunity to thrive.
Parenting Transformation: From Tradition to Positivity
Anna, a 5-year-old girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of 2, struggled with social difficulties and sometimes displayed challenging behaviours. Her primary caregiver, Emelie, attended our Ready, Set, Learn programme, where she learned to replace traditional disciplinary approaches with play-based methods and helped Anna build her social skills step by step.
Emelie shared one significant change, “Anna used to grab food from others. We are guiding her through structured routines. Now, she is becoming more patient and willing to interact with others.”
Family-Centred Early Intervention
The session incorporates activities focused on brain development, literacy readiness, and social-emotional learning, aiming to support caregivers to provide responsive care and build their children foundational skills to learn and develop. Dr. Wong, the City Health Officer of Paranaque City and one of the participants, remarked, “These seemingly small changes are actually revolutionary, bringing profound benefits to families.”
Strengthening Early Identification and Referral Systems
One of the key objectives of the ABLE programme is to increase public awareness about developmental delays and identified disabilities, enabling parents to recognise their child’s needs at an earlier stage. By establishing an early identification and responsive care system, parents can access timely support when they see initial signs of developmental delays, reducing stress for caregivers and ensuring better care for children.