International disability charity MAITS has partnered with CareTech Foundation to extend its training programme in Pakistan and India. 

MAITS is also producing free-to-access video resources providing basic guidance to parents and caregivers of children with special needs.

Jonathan Freeman MBE, chief executive of the CareTech Foundation, said “We are delighted to partner with MAITS to deliver their impressive CHW Empowerment Programme. With support from the foundation, this training will reach families who have limited access to therapists and help to enhance the lives of children with disabilities. We are confident that this programme will have a huge impact and reach some of the most vulnerable people in Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

MAITS works alongside local professionals and caregivers in low-resource countries to help them meet the health, development and educational needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities. Its mission is to improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest children living with disabilities, through better access to therapeutic and education support. 

MAITS’ flagship Community Health Worker (CHW) Empowerment training targets hard-to-reach families who have limited access to specialist therapists and therapy centres, and who rely on the skill and dedication of community workers to enhance the lives of their children with disabilities and their families and communities. This grassroots training enables timely specialist referrals to be made and enables the provision of targeted home support to promote children’s development, health and wellbeing, using MAITS expertly designed training packages and tools. 

The programme is successfully running in five countries and MAITS’ resource package has been recommended by A.I.F.I Italian Association of Physiotherapy   (Training Packages).

Shabnam Rangwala is a paediatric occupational therapist in India and a lead trainer on the programme.

“MAITS came into my life at a time when I was exploring avenues to do more and give back to the field that I had been working with for over 25 years. Since then, MAITS has offered ongoing support for my work and helped me to support families of children in low-resourced settings,” explained Rangwala about her experience with MAITS.  

Meheen Rangoonwala, chair, MAITS, said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you!’ to the Foundation, for sharing our commitment to improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people within society.”

The foundation receives an annual donation of 2.5% pre-tax profit from CareTech PLC, the founding corporation and leading social care provider for adults and children’s services in the UK. With this donation, the foundation delivers a meaningful impact to communities in the UK and overseas by supporting and championing the social care sector, care workers and those living in care.