Everyone has the right to education, and that includes persons with special needs. "Students with special needs are generally defined as students with learning, physical, or developmental disabilities and students with behavioural, emotional, and communications disorders", according to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
In this guide, the ILoveQatar.net team has compiled a list of educational institutions in Qatar that help provide "academic, behavioural, health, physical, or other unique needs beyond those met by traditional educational techniques"*.
Jumpstart Center for Special Needs, located in Doha, is a premier educational institution dedicated to offering top-tier learning experiences and comprehensive programs for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental delays. Beyond its educational endeavors, they extend support to families by offering tailored parent training sessions and consultations. Their collaborative approach involves working hand-in-hand with parents, ensuring their children flourish and harness new abilities and opportunities that enrich their lives.
Every program offered is meticulously overseen by esteemed Clinical Director, Dr. Adrienne Robek, BCBA-D. The diverse offerings include Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, ABA Therapy, Early Intervention Program, Social Skills Groups, Educational Assessments, workshops, parent training sessions, and much more.
The Aamal Center for Special Needs helps children with special needs by providing excellent programs to allow them acquire the skills they need to live side-by-side with members of their community. Its mission is to enable children with special needs to develop their physical, social, cognitive and behavioural abilities with the help of specialized programs that will enhance their skills. This will empower them to have a better quality of life to integrate easily into the community.
The Aamal Center for Special Needs provides services in Social Skills Training, Behavioral and Psychological Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Counselling, and has a Sensory Room, too.
With a curriculum based on local and international standards, Awsaj Academy has been awarded dual accreditation by two internationally renowned accrediting agencies, the Council of International Schools (cis) (www.cois.org) and the Middle States Association (MSA) (www.middlestates.org), both of whom are recognized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Its mission is to "encourage, motivate, and advance the achievement of students with learning challenges by providing quality academic, social, and emotional research-based instruction in both Arabic and English; and develop within students respect of Qatari heritage and Islamic principles to ensure a successful entry into post-secondary education, career, and community."
According to the Child Development Center, CDC is not a school but, instead it is a multidisciplinary center where children receive therapy sessions. It was established in 2013 and serves children from 15 months old to young adults up to 18 years old. It also has a network of internationally qualified and licensed professionals who offer child-centred and evidence-based early detection and intervention for children with developmental delays.
Its services include Applied Behavior Analysis, Early Intervention Program, Speech and Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, School-Based Services, and Professional Development Training.
The Doha International Centre for People with Special Needs is considered the first private center to be opened in Qatar with the belief that all children with disabilities have strengths that must be honed in the right way. The center includes many different departments that work on preparing appropriate training programs for each child with different disabilities. The center receives all disabilities, mild or moderate, from birth to 20 years of age. The center contains two sections: an Arabic section for Arabic speaking children and an English section for English speaking children.
The center is keen to formulate an integrated approach commensurate with the needs of people with disabilities, including rehabilitation, educational, educational, training, communicative, independence, behavioral and professional services for different groups and for all ages.
Its services include Evaluation and Diagnostic Services, Consulting Services and Therapeutic Services.
Family Hope Center is a safe haven for children, adolescents, and adults with social, mental and physical challenges. The center not only aims to help students but also provides support to their families. They offer various programs for the advancement of the students' physical, social, emotional, speech, language, behavioral and occupational needs.
Its services include Individualized Educational Plans (IEP), Standardized Assessment, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Academic Learning Support, Social Skills Program, Parent/Teacher Training Workshop, Sensory Integration, Therapeutic Listening Therapy, Psychology Assessment, Handwriting Skills Session, Summer Camps, Winter Camps, and various activity programs.
Family Hope Center has modern facilities, equipment, and spacious rooms for effective therapy sessions as well as first-class amenities and recreational tools for a fun-filled learning experience.
HOPE Qatar provides 'Help, Opportunity, Participation, and Education' (HOPE) to differently-abled children and young adults so they can overcome any challenges they may be facing. It provides meaningful and affordable services to intellectually and physically challenged children and young adults. In fact, some of Hope Qatar's students have successfully been re-integrated into mainstream schools in Qatar, and some have gone on to pre-vocational paths through the successful completion of Diplomas in Computer Applications.
HOPE Qatar specializes in Early Intervention (3 - 6 years) with lots of fun activities, Functional Academics (7 - 25 years) where children can learn at their own pace and eventually complete their 10th or 12th grades through the open school curriculum, and therapeutic interventions for the Early Intervention and Functional Academics students (at no additional cost). The institute also provides individual therapy support to children with special needs in Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy at present.
Note: Please do not visit without an appointment, as it may disturb the students.
The Mind Institute is one of Qatar’s premier multidisciplinary special needs clinics for children and adults. This independent center has been licensed by Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. It has a multidisciplinary team of 27+ specialized therapists, special educators and shadows, and 35+ partnerships with K-12 schools, and provides the highest standard of care via focused assessment, comprehensive treatment, and individualized therapy plans.
The Mind Institute specializes in Early Intervention Services, Specific Learning Difficulties, Therapeutic Shadow, Speech and Language Therapy, Oral Placement Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Dysfunction in Sensory Integration, Pediatric Physiotherapy, Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Integration Services and Social Skills.
Established by the parents of a child diagnosed with autism, Omega Center helps children with psychiatric, physical, educational, and social challenges overcome their challenges by providing effective educational and therapeutic services. Omega also educates the parents and the caregivers of special needs children. Its services include Occupational Therapy, Sensory Integration Therapy, Speech Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Special Education Classes, Life Skills and Vocational Training.
The Qatar Autism Center is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and is made up of two spacious villas allocated upon modern international standards for rehabilitation for those with autism, based on their age and condition. The center takes into consideration the appropriate classroom environment for the students and is in compliance with the safety and security standards necessary for children with special needs. The center also has two heated swimming pools and a specialized trainer for swimming and physical activity
The Qatar Autism Center specializes in Consultancy Services, Rehabilitation Services, Educational Services, Speech and Communication, Skills Development, Academic Sessions, Occupational Therapy and Motor Skills.
The Qatar Society for the Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs seeks to achieve social, psychological, academic and health rehabilitation for people with disabilities within the community in accordance with the Islamic religion, customs, traditions and culture of Qatari society, The Society does this by taking into account the modernization of services and programs and strives to achieve integrated care for people with special needs. It is constantly developing activities and services to help these people integrate into society with ease.
Its services include Rehabilitative, Educational, Social, Cultural and Recreational programs and activities like Binding, Carpentry, Agriculture, Porcelain and Gypsum to highlight their creative abilities and talents.
Renad Academy is a school that helps children who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to Qatar Foundation website. It's currently serving students aged 3 to 7 years old.
Established by H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in 1999, Al Shafallah Center provides exemplary educational and rehabilitative services to persons with mental disability and autism under 21 years old. It has since been successful in not just promoting awareness in the society about the cause and the rights of special needs persons but also in helping them integrate into Qatari society. It covers all types and levels of disability for all age groups from birth to graduation.
Step by Step's mission is to holistically address the academic, social, and emotional needs of its students aged 3 to 16 years. It provides only small group teaching but also whole-class teaching supported by individual and group therapy intervention.
Its services include Applied Behaviour Analysis, Buddy Club (Social Skills Group), Fantastic Fingers, Math Lab, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Smart Start Early Intervention, and Summer Camp.
They have also recently launched a vocational, functional, and independent living skills program: Pathway to Independence.
Do you know of more educational institutions in Qatar that help children with special needs? Let us know in the comments section. Like and share the article - it keeps us going!
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