Household survey in Madras city brought to light that the slum communities register highest incidents of physical disability and the majority of them are confined to their houses without having any childhood oppurtunities. The parents of these children are daily wage earners, cart pullers, cycle rickshaw workers, beedi workers, scavengers etc. Children from this segment of population who do not have a future to look forward to, deserve help from everyone.
Moved by the plight of less-abled children, the CEDMA promoted 32 community-based child care centres in the different slum communities of Madras city to offer them early childhood oppurtunities with the participation of communities.
Further, community-based child care centres help the children with disability to become socially integrated and thereby enabling them to enjoy the same rights as other children - the right to survival, the right to protection, the right to development and the right to participation as adopted by the UN General Assembly 1988.
Preventive measures, early detection of disabilities and immunisation of all children 0-1 year against the six major childhood dieseases, with the help of community volunteers also form part of the programme.