Association of Disability Service Providers (ADSP) Special Educational Needs School,
Long Mountain

The motto of ADSP is:
“Aiming for Ability, Autonomy and Social Inclusion”

ADSP (2003 – 2007)
In July 2003, ADSP was founded by Mrs. Patchemah ULLAGEN with the intention of providing relief to parents of children with profound impairment. An Association was set up with few members, two of them were working in the institution as teachers and at the same time they were taking courses in the field of Special Educational Needs (SEN).

So, it opened its doors to a few children with Cerebral Palsy in the village council of Long Mountain. However, the limited space available we a barrier for the children with mobility problems. The limited equipment available for them was only desks and chairs; lack of facilities such as adapted and assistive devices for the children with low mobility. With the help of the European Union (Anou Dibout Ensam), Trust Fund for Vulnerable Group, District Council and United Way, ADSP was able to provide for the basic facilities required by the children. Space was unsuitable to provide other activities than taking care of the basic needs of children. Therefore, ADSP was functioning mainly as a day care centre.

Working with children with profound impairment gradually made ADSP understand their special educational needs (SEN) requirements – basic facilities that they should be entitled to, with respect to children of same age group without SEN requirements, going to mainstream schools. ADSP started to advocate rights for children with SEN and those of their carer, in this case, the children’s parents so that they could access the facilities (such as pension and right to education) they were entitled to. The objective of the ADSP, gradually, changed from providing relief to parents to social inclusion of children in the local community.

ADSP started being recognised from the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions, and some funders – still, funding to improve amenities and services was limited. We started working on project to acquire appropriate space to set up an appropriate educational institution for children with SEN in the local community.

In 2007 Mrs. Marie CLAUDE NG visited school, she was very impressed about the work we are doing. She then promised to support the school. Mr Vipin MAHABIRSIGH, Director of Central Depository and Settlement Limited (CDS) visits the school and appreciate the effort of ADSP. The CDS contribute towards ADSP progress in terms of infrastructure, providing the first computers for the students to get access to Information Technology. This helped us to upgrade the administration sector of ADSP which could start building its network via internet facilities.

The CDS also assisted the institution in remunerating the staff which was a very motivating factor for the teaching staff in providing a better service to the children. CDS remains a key partner in during the course of progress that ADSP has made until now.

ADSP (2008 – 2013)
In 2008, after going through various Ministries, to acquire a plot of land for the construction of ADSP School, the Ministry of Land and Housing finally approved a plot of land on lease to ADSP. The location of the land to build the school was unique – in the premises of a mainstream school (Mohabeer Foogooa Government School), at Long Mountain. This factor, itself, helped to build up awareness on children with SEN and assisted in the acceptance and integration of these children in their local community. Being at the heart of Long Mountain, helped the children to access different services such as transport, bank, shops and health services easily.

In March 2009, laying of Foundation Stone for the school construction and in the same year the building was inaugurated in November. The new infrastructure was equipped with 3 classrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a changing room, accessible and adaptable toilets and bathroom, a library, an administrative area and playground. The preparation of the land was done by The Special Mobile Force (SMF) Units and the construction project was financed mainly by European Union (DCP) & Rotary Club of Grand Bay.

ADSP, by then, had become a well known institution whose vision to provide academic and non-academic education to children with SEN was well perceived. The work ethics of the staff were very much appreciated and parents believed in the vision, ADSP had set up for their children who were once not schooled before. Gradually, more parents started to come forward to subscribe their children to the school. Being in the premises of a mainstream school, these children had more of a chance of having a sense of being accepted and included.

ADSP, with the collaboration of CDS and other sponsors, also started providing occupational therapy services to all its children by in house Occupational Therapist (OT). Furthermore, in 2010, a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) was appointed at the school on a part-time basis. All the educators (5) were given opportunities to take professional training courses in teaching children with SEN requirements. The paramedical professionals (OT and SLT) helped to provide in house training of parents and teachers to raise awareness of difficulties faced by the children with SEN requirements and how to handle them at home and in the school.

At the end of 2010, ADSP extended its building capacity with the construction of the 1st floor with the help and funding of REHM-Grinaker, Fondation Harel Frere and Mauritian Bus Transport. The 1st floor has 2 classes, a gym room and a huge hall for extracurricular activities. At the start of the 3rd academic term of 2011, a ramp was built for children with low mobility (those on wheelchairs) so that they could access the hall and other facilities on the first floor. This project was entirely funded by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare. In the same year (2011) the school obtained its own school van. Transport facilities were therefore provided to all except those who can travel independently by bus – a project with the TOTAL Mauritius Ltd. The number of admission increased and the need to create more space arose, which brought the extension of the building in end of year 2012.

ADSP 2014
ADSP, today, caters mainly for children with Intellectual & Developmental Disability (IDD) and Slow-Learners and currently has 57 students attending school daily. The school also provide Early Intervention Programs for children under age of 5. Currently, ADSP has teaching staff and non-teaching staff, medical and paramedical team (Doctor, Occupational Therapist, Speech & Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist) working with the children. The school has employed a driver and a helper for the school-van to transport the children safely to school and back in the afternoon.

Related services include:
- Medical facilities
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Psychological services
- Social work services
- Physical therapy services
- Services for students with visual and/or hearing impairments
- Transport Facilities

Contact Us:
Association of Disability Service Providers
Address: Royal Road, Long Mountain
Tel/Fax: (+230) 245-1373
Email: adspabilityforall@gmail.com