CBRJ Supporting Children with Disabilities for Over 40 Years

Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ), located in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, has been supporting children with disabilities and their families for more than 40 years.

The CBRJ provides a range of services, including developmental and psychological assessments, therapeutic intervention and referral services, which can lead to the cognitive and social development of children and adolescents with disabilities.

Project Manager, Sandrea Long-White, told JIS News that the non-governmental organisation (NGO) currently caters to more than 600 children and adolescents in St. Catherine, Manchester, St. Elizabeth and St. James.

“Children and adolescents with varying types of disabilities, such as intellectual, physical and motor; medically disabling conditions; intellectual impairment and severe behavioural problems, can access services provided by the Agency,” she informed.

In some instances, services are also extended to adults, especially those experiencing abuse or neglect and are in need of emotional, social and financial support.

Mrs. Long-White pointed out that interventions are tailored to individual needs noting, for example, that in instances where factors arising prevent parents or guardians from accessing services at centres for their children, the CBRJ provides homebased interventions which sees staff going into homes to work with families.

Another critical service offering is the centre-based early-childhood education and therapeutic programme.

Children visit a centre five days per week where they are engaged in activities to enhance their development, help them to optimise their potential and prepare them for integration into regular or special schools.

“A big part of CBRJ’s mandate is inclusive education. So we also work with public and special schools to provide support to children with disabilities”, Mrs. Long-White said.

There is also an adult/adolescent programme geared towards equipping targetted cohorts with the skills necessary for independent living and income generation.

“We recognise that a lot of children and adolescents with disabilities are marginalised and are not receiving the sort of support that they should get. They, too, have a right to enjoy an improved quality of life”, the Project Manager stated.

The CBRJ is primarily funded by the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Education and Youth’s Special Education Unit and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Mrs. Long-White pointed out, however, that the Agency is always in need of additional financial support and welcomes any that can be provided by individuals and organisations.

The CBRJ, which resulted from the merging of the then 3D Projects and the Rural Services for Children with Disabilities (RSD), is based at 14 Monk Street, Spanish Town, St. Catherine.