At present, the centre provides: Assessments and Diagnosis, Early Intervention Programmes, Pre-School and School Services, coupled with programmes for young people. Supporting these core services is communication therapy, physiotherapy and school visits. The centre has a community-based service, which has been focusing on some government owned homes to support their efforts in providing care for their children.

Our organisation uses a team approach to deliver the service, Dr Yinka Akindayomi and the trained staff members continue to create an awareness of the rights to services and opportunities with dignity within the community. We have been fortunate to gain our expertise, experience and knowledge from the students and their families through training and sheer hard work.

Thirty percent of our population belongs to the age range of 10-21 years olds. It is evident that their rights, needs and interests are different as well as their families' anxieties. As a result the organisation has begun to invest in the future of our young adults, in providing a more appropriate environment and programme to make sure they are included within the community as full adults and participating member of society.

The Lagos Living and Learning Center (LL&LC) will provide such an environment, which is a "trade mark" of the CDC's, warm, friendly and stimulating surrounding for learning and inclusion. Already, we are at the process of "Breaking Grounds" on our 8.3 acres of land at Idi-Orogbo village along the Ibeju Lekki expressway on Saturday 20th September 2003 from 12 noon to 2 pm. This land had been acquired through the assistance of a company in Lagos who are keen to see the organisation grow and build on, the already laid solid foundation.

The Living and Learning Centre will be a semi-independent living facility for our students, comprising of workshops, farming and processing areas, a support employment unit, well-equipped sports centre and on-site housing for essential staff. As usual the service will be coordinated with a well-trained team. The adolescent unit has already shown our potentials, which was seen in the success of 4 young people who participated in the Special Olympics 2003, in Dublin, Ireland, representing Nigeria's Emerging Special Olympic Programme. 4 medals were won, 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronzes, this shows the abilities and skills of young people with developmental disabilities when given the right opportunities.

Questions are usually asked about how the centre and all its activities are funded, 30 percent of the funding come from parents using a fee sliding scale, ensuring that the generality of families that need and require the service get it. The rest of the funding comes from support provided by the community, made up of corporate Organisations and a sizeable number of individuals. Developing a local solution to a global problem is a challenge indeed. Our students, families and Children's Development Centre are working hard to continue this service, which forms a great need within our society.

 

email: cdc@alpha.linkserve.com