Creating a city haven for children with autism
Print Edition
CHEN Jie didn’t find a school for children with autism a decade ago, not because of any family connection but due to a chance meeting with a group of parents of autistic kids and being touched by their dedication.
Shanghai Qingcongquan Training Center for Children with Special Needs is a non-profit organization based in Changning that provides professional training for the children aged up to 7 who have autism and their families.
On December 21, the school hosted its annual Christmas gala at Changning Children’s Palace, celebrating the students’ accomplishments, as well as expressing gratitude to everyone who has helped the school.
Shocked by the pain that this neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction can bring to a family, Chen opened the school with her savings in October 2004, and devoted herself to helping those children and their parents.
“For me it’s quite special, because I had nothing to do with autism in the beginning,” she says. “Many people didn’t understand, but I thought it was something I had to do.”
As a mother of a child without the condition, she feels lucky, but also feels that it’s necessary to take up the challenge.
“Since I can do something for the group, I’m giving my life to them, and I myself have changed,” Chen says.
The condition can bring strains and difficulties for children and their families.
“They can be quite hyper-emotional because often they can’t express themselves in words. Many people cannot imagine how caring for a young child can be so difficult,” Chen says.
Symptoms usually appear when the child is about 3 years old, and early interventions in behavior and speech can help a child attain necessary self-care and communication skills.
“In classes, we also need to teach parents how to handle different situations,” Chen says.
The school has around 50 students and 25 teachers. Lessons start with very basic things, such as how to pronounce a word.
“There’s also the part that teaches them social skills, like how to stand in lines and play games,” Chen says.
“It’s extremely hard for our children to do things other people consider ordinary.”
Teaching autistic children requires specialist professional knowledge and teachers there are all full-time.
“Teachers need to undergo at least six months of training before stepping into the classroom,” Chen explains.
Monthly tuition and fees are 2,600 yuan (US$418) for half-day classes and 3,200 yuan for full-day attendance.
“It doesn’t sound cheap, but with the expensive rent and teachers’ salary, the money only covers 30 percent of our expenses,” she says.
Every teacher can only care for two students because the tremendous amount of attention required to meet their special needs. There are also a number of language therapists and music teachers working at the school.
Shanghai Qingcongquan Training Center for Children gets another 70 percent of the money through fundraising.
The children often go there for a year or two and if they make certain progress they can move to kindergarten or mainstream schools.
But if the condition is more severe, they may stay until 7 and then go to schools for children with learning difficulties.
“For parents, the pressures is intense,” Chen says.
“People not familiar with this group may not understand what we are going through, and what they are going through,” she adds.
Every year, the school hosts several events to celebrate and thank those who support it.
On June 1 — Children’s Day — the school held a small sports meeting for the students to have some fun, plus the gala before Christmas.
Chen says success cannot be easily defined as this takes different forms for different children.
For some it means being able to get into a mainstream primary school and fit in, while for others simply controlling their anger is a huge accomplishment.
“Being able to go to school is not a goal for every child,” says Chen.
“What we really need to emphasize is how people see autism. It’s not about children with special talents to draw, which covers the fact of the hardships,” she adds. Autism is not widely known in China, and the school struggles to continue its work.
Currently, it is trying to convert a large building to create more classroom space.
“We wish we could help more children in need,” Chen says.
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