Inclusion of Children with Disabilities
Ensuring children with disabilities have greater access to services that promote their inclusion in society
- English
- العربية
Challenge
As for 2023, there are around 16,000 children in Oman with disabilities (up to the age of 19). Oman has a range of specialized and mainstream services for children with disabilities – indeed the Sultanate was one of the first countries in the region to advocate for the integration of children with special educational needs in mainstream education – but there is room to strengthen and expand these services in a number of critical areas.
Data collection and disability classification: The availability of comprehensive data is vital for evidence-based policy-making and planning for the inclusion of children with disabilities. While Oman’s E-Census 2020 is an important step in data collection and provides a wealth of information across many sectors, the Government of Oman recognizes the need to strengthen cross-sectoral data systems using a unified disability classification approach to ensure the early detection of disability in children so that every child with a disability has access to specialized care and services. Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys are the largest source of internationally comparable data on children and adults with disabilities.
Cross-sectoral coordination: While the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD) bears overall responsibility for disability, the ministries of health and education are also engaged in the sector. Roles and responsibilities overlap and are crosscutting. The Government of Oman is working to put in place a holistic and integrated system to ensure no disabled child is overlooked or left behind.
Demand for services: Because of the stigma associated with children with disabilities, parents may decide not to register them as such, thus causing their needs to be overlooked. Moreover, many parents may not actually be aware of the services available to them and their children.
Supply of services: Access to key rehabilitation and education services for children with disabilities remains a challenge because most are only available in major cities. A main constraint to expanding beyond the largest urban areas is the high cost of specialized services. Another key challenge is the need to increase the number of specially trained teachers and social workers to ensure early intervention and the provision of equal opportunities for all children. In May 2024, MoSD integrated “The Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities’ with a total capacity of 400 children.
Solution
UNICEF is working closely with the Government of Oman to generate data and develop evidence-based policies that place children with disabilities at the very heart of the programme. UNICEF is also supporting the Government to develop the capacity of educators, healthcare workers, social workers and other service providers, while also addressing knowledge gaps via a social and behaviour change communication (SBCC).
New Social Protection Law
UNICEF supported the Government of Oman in drafting the new Social Protection Law, which was endorsed in July 2023 (52/2023). UNICEF conducted comprehensive qualitative and quantitative assessments to identify gaps in the existing social assistance scheme, proposed a well-being line for Oman, and advocated for the child's universal benefit. Among the cash benefits, a monthly cash benefit equivalent to 130 Omani Rial/ 338 USD was introduced, targeting individuals with disabilities requiring care and support, whether the disability is present from birth or acquired later.
International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF)
The introduction of identification and assessment tools and checklists that take a functional rather than strictly medical approach will improve the early detection of disabilities and early intervention. This functional approach allows for a more holistic and social view of disability which says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or differences.
UNICEF conducted a capacity-building training session on identifying eligible beneficiaries for the new social protection disability cash benefits. The training aimed to equip social workers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively use the ICF tools and checklists for screening and determining the level of disability.
Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)
The Government of Oman is committed to ensuring that families know how to give their children – including those with disabilities – the very best start in life and can access high-quality services within their communities. The government has developed a national policy and plan to achieve this.
In support of this, UNICEF is assisting the government in developing and implementing a cross-cutting social behavioural change communication (SBCC) strategy to encourage good practices and uptake of available services. The work is guided and coordinated by the interministerial SBCC Task Force which has representatives from the ministries of education, health, and social development, the National Centre for Statistics and Information and the Ministry of Information, and is supported by UNICEF.
The SBCC strategy aims to increase the understanding of parents of children with and without disabilities of inclusive education; build the capacity of various groups including families, communities, service providers and the Government; and build an inclusive culture and society while influencing attitudes, norms and behaviours associated with stigma and discrimination.