Special Child Care Centre cum Early Education and Training Centre

Introduction

Established in 2007, Morrison Hill Child Development Centre is a special child care centre cum early education and training centre. It provides 60 special child care service places and 66 early education and training service places. There are also 4 places for occasional child care service and 6 places for extended hours of child care service for disabled children.

Belief

We are convinced that early nurturing and training will allow children to achieve their best potential. Conjoint effort by parents and professionals can enhance the quality of life and development of infants and toddlers with special needs effectively. We are determined to build an inclusive society full of love and hope so that every child who has special needs can be well cultivated.

Purpose

• Enable children with special needs to grow and learn in a safe, healthy and accepting school environment
• Promote holistic development and full potentials of children through diverse and individualised learning activities and systematic training.
• Foster parents' effective nurturing of children through partnership and active communication with families.

Objectives

• Provide quality day care, education and training services to promote children’s holistic development in physical fitness, fine motor skills, cognition, language, self-care, social emotions and aesthetics, and lay a solid foundation for future growth and rehabilitation.
• Teach parents to make good use of different methods, environments and daily life to guide the development of children in all aspects.
• Help parents understand and accept the developmental and learning needs of children and manage their stress and difficulties in life through counselling and parenting education services.
• Provision of quality temporary care services to children with special needs so that parents can take care of their personal matters or emergencies in peace.

Target Service Users

• Special Child Care Centre Service: Children aged 2 to 6 with moderate to severe disabilities.
• Early Education and Training Centre Service: Infants and preschoolers aged 0- 6 who are with special needs or at risk of developmental delay, as well as their parents.
• Occasional Child Care Service: Children aged 2 to 6 with special needs and their siblings.
• Extended Hours Service: Children who are using the Special Child Care Centre Service or Occasional Child Care Service.

Application Procedure

• Special Child Care Centre Service / Early Education and Training Centre Service
  Children who need to apply for service may be placed on the waiting list of the Social Welfare Department’s (SWD) "Central Referral System for Rehabilitation Services" by referral from Maternal and Child Health Centres, Child Assessment Centres, Integrated Family Service Centres, medical social workers, pediatricians or psychologists. Upon receipt of admission notice from the SWD, our centre will inform parents for processing the enrolment procedures.
  
  
• Occasional Child Care Service / Extended Hours Service
  Parents may phone the centre for registration in advance or apply by direct visit to the centre in person.

Withdrawal Procedure

If parents choose to withdraw the services, they must notify the centre in writing and complete the related procedures one month in advance. In addition, we will terminate the provision of services to children under the following circumstances:

• The child reaches the first 1^st September after attaining the age of 6.
• The child promotes to Primary School
• The child’s overall ability is now consistent with the development stage of his/her age.
• The child decides to use other types of SWD-funded preschool rehabilitation placements.

Office Hours

Monday to Friday: 7.30 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. Saturday: 8.30 a.m. - 5.30 p.m. Closed: Sunday and public holidays. The centre will notify parents in advance for Lunar New Year, Christmas and summer holidays.

Scope of Services

• Special Child Care Centre Service

1. Assessment of child development and training progress
2. Children's Individualised Education Plan (IEP)
3. Classroom and process learning
4. Day care
5. Individual or family counselling and support
6. Borrowing of toys, books and equipment/special aids
7. School bus service
8. Social inclusion programme
   
   

• Early Education and Training Centre

1. Assessment of child development and training progress
2. Individual or group training and therapy
3. Individual or family counselling and support
4. Borrowing of toys, books and equipment/special aids
   
   

• Occasional Child Care Service/ Extended Hours Service

1. Provision of meals, refreshments, home care services
2. Provision of meaningful and interesting activities such as games, arts and crafts, accompanied reading, etc.

Service Features

• Transciplinary Collaborative Mode
  Our team consists of educational psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, social workers and special child care workers.
  
  

• Professional Consultant Support
  Professional advice are received from senior pediatricians, educational psychologists and clinical psychologists; university professors of rehabilitation therapy, speech and hearing sciences and applied social sciences, etc.
  
  

• Encourage Parental Involvement
  Parents are encouraged to attend the centre's demonstrations for children. Through educational seminars and sharing groups, parents can understand the development needs and training content of their children and share their rearing experiences.
  
  

• Mutual Aid Network for Parents
  The "Chih Ai Parents’ Association" is an inter-centres parent organisation that was established in 1982. In addition to promoting mutual support and interaction among parents, it also keeps abreast of policies and service development related to children with special needs.

Centre Facilities

In addition to regular classrooms, training rooms and therapy rooms, our centre has the following facilities:

1. Multi-Art Corner
   filled with a wide range of art materials, large drawing boards, light boxes, musical instruments and piano, etc. Through the cultivation of diverse means of arts, children’s cognitive, mental and physical development, together with creativity can be well-developed.
   
   
2. Multi-sensory Room
   equipped with various kinds of sensory equipment. Children are provided with visual, auditory and tactile stimuli to enrich their sensory experience in a relaxed atmosphere.
   
   
3. Home Training Room
   a simulated home environment for parents to learn how to enhance children's learning through daily life and home environment.
   
   
4. Toys and Resource Library
   a variety of books and toys are available for parents to borrow. 

Fees

We will charge the fees according to our agency's policy and the fees approved by the Social Welfare Department.