Parents of disabled children have been urged to register their children with a national agency to access various government benefits. Winfred Wairimu, head of the Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities, highlighted that many parents keep their children hidden at home, missing out on essential support.
“Registration will help the government get the correct numbers of these children, aiding in budgeting and ensuring they receive the basic items they need,” Wairimu said. She emphasized that creating a database through registration would improve planning and streamline services.
“We urge parents to register their children so that we can create a comprehensive database for proper planning and service delivery,” she added. “There are various programs outlined for these special-needs children, and they can only benefit from them if they are registered with the National Council for People Living with Disabilities.”
Wairimu also noted that fear of stigma often leads parents to hide their children, avoiding medical care and worsening their living conditions. The disabilities agency is working to raise public awareness and reduce stigma against special-needs children.
“Hiding these children at home will only exacerbate their situation, especially if they fall sick and cannot access medical care,” she said.
Esther Makena, Murang’a County director for social services, pointed out that parents of special-needs children can benefit from financial assistance and bursaries. She stressed that these children have a right to education, but only a few are enrolled in school, urging parents to consider special-needs schools.
