Group A1 - Day 7 DHO Kota Star

Today was our visit to PDK or also known as "Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Putra Jaya". It is situated in Taman Putra Jaya and services are provided to 12 places inclusive of Mukim Derga, Tajar, Alor Malai, Limbong, Alor Merah, Pumpong, Sungai Baru, Gunung, Titi, Gajah, Anak Bukit dan Mergong.  As soon we arrived there, we were briefed about the way the centre is conducted by the trainers who work  there.

PDK is a centre to educate special childen who are not accepted in normal schools by the education department.This project complements , supplements and acts as a partnership to the society welfare department.They help to improve the quality of life of special children by providing basic education and medical aid such as physiotherapy. Before there were three centres but now, there are two centres, one located in Kota Star and another in Teluk Chini.

 (Photo on the left shows trainers in PDK and the nurse from Klinik Kesihatan Simpang Kuala)

Firstly, these special children has to register and obtain a registration card from the Department of Social welfare.The children will receive rm150 per month after registration.Then, the child will be admitted into this centre. Parents need to pay RM10 upon admission and Rm15 monthly. Currently, there are 60 children attending this centre and there are 5 trainers.These children consist of those who have learning difficulties(37 people), not able to see(1), hearing difficulties, physical abnormalities(21) and others(1).The age group of those who are registered in this centre is from 4 years of age until 28 .

These children attend classes on sunday, monday and Tuesday from 8am until 12pm.

Activities that are designed for these children include :

• Daily activities such as eating ,drinking and going to the toilet
• Gross motor skills such as walking, running, crawling and jumping
• Fine motor skills such as thinking, visualizing, finger movements such as cutting papers using scissors, coloring
• Pre- school activities such as reading and writing alphabets and words
• Social development such as able to interact with others , able to tell their age and their address.

On Wednesday,  there is a session of physiotherapy held for children with cases of spastic cerebral palsy. Home visits are held on Thursdays for those children who cannot be ambulated and brought to this centre. There are total of 7 children who require home visits. During the home visits, the children will be checked for any skin problems or lice on the head and if the trainers find that the child is unhealthy, doctor will be immediately contacted from Klinik Kesihatan Simpang Kuala.. They have strong link with the health department and also the education department.Upon request by the trainers, health check-ups are conducted in this centre twice a year by the health departments on an open day for the kids and also for the parents.

Once the trainers feel that the child is able to manage themselves,  they are sent for an interview.. If they have passed the interview, they will be admitted in special schools by the education department. They are put in special schools from the age of 7 till 18. Up till now, there were two children who have left this centre for special school.

Problems faced by this centre include insufficient trainers. It would be good if there are male trainers who could handle some of the big sized male children who is in this centre. Apart from that, transportation should be provided for the children who is attending this centre. However, they do not face problems by the neighbourhood. In fact, the people in the neighbourhood offer support , donation and food .Rm158,000 is allocated for this centre yearly and this includes food for the children, the trainer's salary and the maintenance of the centre.

Future plans :

•  Improve the learning facilities for children according to their category
• Developing play ground and recreation spots 
• Increase the number of trainers
• To improve the bond with various NGO who can help  to develop PDK
• Transport facilities for the trainees to attend PDK
• Increase financial support by various ways

This is an interactive multisensory environment spaceroom mainly used for autistic and hyperactivity children to calm them down and to release tension. It is equipped with soft music, colours on the wall, cooling environment and pleasant odour that creates a very peaceful enviroment. Children are put here about 30 minutes and they leave this room with a sense of calmness.

Home visit done for Siti Musfirah , a cerebral palsy child. Our presence was welcomed by this child with lots of laughter and excitement.