Child Guidance

Child Guidance Clinic, Sharjah, UAE, was started as an initiative of the Dr. Sunny conglomerate with a vision for the betterment of mental health of children. It is a unique attempt where comprehensive services are provided by a professional team, including specialist psychiatrists, specialist social workers, and psychologists. It is an assessment and diagnostic clinic that caters to children in the play school group (up to 3 years), preschool group (3-6 years), and school-going group (6-17 years).

The Social Workers and Psychologists focus on developmental, behavior, and academic issues. They conduct assessments for children to analyze the concerns of children, find out reasons for the concerns, and strategies to handle and tackle the issues. Each child is given individual attention during the assessments, and it involves paper-pencil work, activities, interviewing, observation, etc. The time taken by children to complete assessments depends upon the age, motivation, and pace of the individual child. The goal of an assessment for a parent would be obtaining a clear picture of the reasons for the child’s difficulties, his/her abilities, and ways to improve functioning and hence performance. (More details can be procured by speaking to the staff). After the completion of Assessments, an intensive counseling session is conducted for the parents and children (separately and if they are mature enough). Details of the Assessments are divulged to the parents with a focus on the remedies to the issues, including behavior and academic management, which most parents can manage at home. For those children who need intensive help, the parents are assisted to locate a professional speech therapist, behavior therapist, or a special educator for continued support. Our assessment reports are accepted by the UAE Ministry of Education, most schools, as well as other education boards (CBSE and ICSE). CGC also liaisons with schools (including teachers and counselors) to help these affected children survive in a school setting.

Services:

• Assessment and diagnosis of preschool children (Below 6 years) with developmental disabilities such as autism, mental retardation, speech delay, poor motor skills, poor concept development, and restless/fidgety children.
• Early academic or behavior intervention (Children below 3 years).
• Assessment and diagnosis of school-going children with behavioral issues such as attention deficit disorders, stealing, lying, and bullying.
• Emotional issues (Quiet/fearful/introvert/bullied children)
• Academic issues/Difficulty with academic skills (From KG classes onwards)
• Counseling services (Parents with affected children, children with academic and behavioral concerns, adolescent and teenage children)

Outreach programs CGC has the conviction that teachers are the best diagnosticians, and often the decision makers to create a supportive environment in school for the child. It is an ideal situation if the counselors and teachers work in tandem. As part of its awareness drive, outreach programs are conducted for teachers, counselors, special educators, and professionals in allied fields.

• Training programs for children.
• Sensitization programs conducted for teachers.
• Intensive enrichment programs are conducted for counselors to enable efficient functioning. • Training programs are also conducted for university students (Social work, Psychology, and Special Education) with special emphasis on school social work and clinical settings.
• Block placements are offered for those students who are aspiring for a career in associated fields.
• For schools who are particular with training their supporting staff (helpers/bus drivers), we have programs to aid their functioning to the full benefit of the children.