Under the patronage of Lt. General H.H Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the sixth Abu Dhabi International Conference on Special Needs (ACCESS Abu Dhabi 2013) will kick off on Tuesday evening April 16. The annual Conference, which is organized by the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs, will be held at the Armed Forces Officers’ Club in Abu Dhabi, between April 16-18, under the slogan "Towards community-based partnerships, to achieve reintegration”.
His Excellency Mohammed Mohammed Fadel Al Hameli, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Secretary General of the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, lauded the attention dedicated by the Higher Leadership to support the Organization’s strategic plans, humanitarian projects, and initiatives for the sake of the categories it kindly endeavors to serve.
He added that the kind patronage of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior to the activities of the sixth Abu Dhabi International Conference, and H.H’s continuous support to provide the best in class services for people with special needs, is a clear indication to the noble world-class humanitarian services that the State provides for these categories.
H.E Al Hameli indicated that this annual conference provides a forum to submit and review the results of scientific research, as well as share the best experiences in all fields of care and rehabilitation. It also complements the previous successes of such conferences in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the past years.
Moreover, he emphasized the keenness of the Zayed Higher Organization (ZHO) to periodically organize this conference: “This reflects the Organization’s specialized role to provide support and care to all people with special needs in society. The Organization also prides itself of being a partner to achieve the Government’s vision in the field of social development. Hence, the importance of this conference, given that providing care and services to people with special needs is an important criterion for civilized societies,” he continued.
Regarding the topics on the agenda, Al Hameli indicated that this year’s conference will feature numerous topics, including success stories of efficient community-based partnerships to achieve community reintegration. Other success stories will showcase implemented transitional plans, which contributed to achieve efficient comprehensive reintegration, whether at school or in the local community; as well as models and examples of transition plans of proven effectiveness and success with people with special needs. Also on the agenda, the Conference will shed light on international-best practices in the field of transitional plans, namely; the transition from home to school; transition from early intervention centers to school; transition between educational stages; transition from school to the local community or the job market; personal planning; helping individuals develop self-determination skills; building a collaborative planning team; as well as ways of preparing, implementing and updating transitional plans.
For her part, Maryam Saif Al Qubaisi, Head of Special Needs Sector at Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, indicated that the “ACCESS Abu Dhabi 2013” conference, which is attended by an elite group of international-best experts and professionals, provides an opportunity for schools and specialized centers in the field of care and rehabilitation to shed light on their experiences. It is also a platform for parents and students to meet with the State’s professionals.
“Efficient community-based partnerships are a key topic to which Zayed Higher Organization dedicates great attention, in order to efficie
