Ending Remarks

We have now reached the end of our course, ‘Integrated Healthcare for Children with Developmental Disabilities’.

We really hope you enjoyed the content and the diversity of resources and the experts you had access to!

Over the last three weeks, we have heard from parents, healthcare professionals and people with disabilities as we sought to learn how best to improve healthcare for children with developmental disabilities. We now have a greater understanding of early intervention techniques, effective communication strategies and specialist healthcare needs. Together, we have reflected upon a child’s broader needs, such as education and social inclusion, and considered how these are linked to long-term physical and emotional wellbeing. Ultimately, this course has given you the tools to develop a network of service providers in your own setting and we hope that drawing materials from a range of countries has given you a unique insight and provided sources of inspiration.

We hope that you have been able to learn from the experiences and perspectives of your fellow learners from across the globe. Let’s keep this momentum going as we look to continue developing a global community of practice.

We are in the unique position to empower children with developmental disabilities and their families, and although it won’t be an easy road, the benefits for children, families, ourselves and society as a whole are immeasurable. Remember, high-quality, appropriate healthcare is a fundamental human right for all children with developmental disabilities.

We’d love to hear from you in the comments below:

• What has been the highlight of the course for you?
• Do you have new ideas, connections or inspirations to take away from the course?