Developing materials to increase knowledge on and access to care for developmental
disabilities

Faren White, Pearl Eni, AJ Alcover, Kwame Sakyi, Prince Gyebi, Michael Arthur

In 2017, the Center for Learning and Childhood-Development-Ghana (CLCD) conducted a formative study to identify gaps in the diagnosis, treatment and care of children living with developmental disabilities in Ghana. Key findings of the study were that caregivers and health workers do not know where to find available services, interventions, and resources for children living with some developmental disorders. CLCD aims to increase knowledge on developmental disabilities and increase access to related services. The goal is to develop referral materials for health care workers and for mothers who have children with developmental disabilities. We will create an advisory board, consisting of affected caregivers and child development professionals, to help identify what services to include in the referral materials. We plan on using qualitative semi- structured interviews to identify services such as; parent support groups, and other health, social, educational, and mobility services. Create a searchable online system for these resources. Print and disseminate the physical copies of the referral materials to hospitals and caregivers. These resources will create a sense of awareness, so that health workers and parents of children living with developmental disorders will have a booklet to use for referrals in the Greater Accra Region.