According to the national survey on persons with disabilities 2016, the disability prevalence rate for children ages 2 to 17 in Vietnam was 2.79%. The most common type of disability is psycho-social, which can lead to many developmental issues, and establishing foundational knowledge and basic skills for parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities is crucial to development outcomes of the children. In collaboration with Autism Speaks, USAID’s I-Thrive project has adapted the World Health Organization's Caregivers’ Skills Training (CST) program to make it culturally sensitive and socially tailored. The program has been carried out in nine public health facilities and ten private healthcare services centers in Thua Thien – Hue and Quang Nam provinces, providing training and coaching for 33 CST facilitators. To date, 391 families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities have benefitted from CST, and 45.7% of children demonstrated improved development outcomes after their caregivers received training. Also, a new hybrid format of CST was introduced, combining learning video clips, online group theoretical lessons, and individual coaching sessions to provide continued support to the families and reach out to potential children in need.
USAID is contributing to the success and sustainability of support programs for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Vietnam through strengthening community-based resources and facilitating private sector engagement, further assisting the country in its journey to self-reliance in supporting vulnerable populations.
Dự án Tôi lớn mạnh do USAID tài trợ