Coronavirus Outbreak: Calicut University teams up with UNESCO to launch guidelines for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities

UNESCO has joined hands with the University of Calicut in Kerala to launch a set a guidelines for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. The guidelines come in the form of a booklet titled ‘Life in the Times of COVID-19: A Guide for Parents of Children with Disabilities’.

The guide explains and illustrates the different aspects that a parent and caregiver must realise while dealing with these youngsters. It also addresses the need to maintain mental health of guardians and their various duties and responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic. Eric Falt, the director of UNESCO New Delhi, said that the guide is action-oriented and would help serve all families with special needs in dealing with the extreme crisis of COVID-19. Prof K. Manikandan, UNESCO Chair on Community Based Disability Management and Rehabilitation Studies, added that the radical changes and stress brought about by result in different sorts of difficulties among children with disabilities. An article in ABC News recently pointed out that homeschooling for parents of students with disabilities require urgent attention. The report quoted the CEO of Victorian peak body for autism Amaze in Australia saying that students with disabilities and their families are scrambling for solutions to homeschooling. UNICEF too issued guidelines for children and adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic stating that they may be at risk of exclusion from education if distance learning programmes are not accessible. They said that quarantine , health facilities and transport facilities established as part of the COVID-19 response may fail to cater to the requirements of children and adults with disabilities. Children with disabilities may have underlying health conditions that increase their risk of complications due to COVID-19 as well, states UNESCO