‘Special
children need legal guardians’
A
day-long seminar on Autism will be organized on February
13 by he National Trust for the welfare of persons with
autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple
disabilities. The seminar will include two workshops
in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public
Administration.
The
first workshop will be held for the benefit of district
magistrates and will focus on the convergence of existing
schemes for the mainstreaming of physically challenged
persons. The second workshop will focus on the development
of management skills for heads of NGOs.
The
seminar will be attended by Dr. Mervyn Fox, an internationally
renowned developmental pediatrician.
He
has been to India several times earlier to share his
experiences on childhood disability with doctors here.
About
250 doctors, rehabilitation professionals and parents
are expected to attend the seminar.
A
book by Dr. Fox titled ‘An introduction to Neuro Developmental
Disorders of Children’ will be released on the occasion
by Minister for Social justice and Empowerment Dr. Satyanarayan
Jatiya.
In
the two-and-a-half years of its operation, the National
Trust has helped in the formulation of rules and regulations,
which govern issues related to autism. Awareness about
issues of guardianship of a mentally challenged child
will also be spread at the seminar.
Guardianship
of a children suffering from autism is essential since
such children are not capable of taking rational decisions
on their own. It is also essential to safeguard financial
assets and for their personal security. “A guardian
is one who takes all legal decisions on the behalf of
the person and his property,” said an official of the
Trust. He also has to assume the care and protection
of the disabled person.
The
law has provisions to remove a guardian if the ward
is subjected to misbehaviour. The National Trust has
formed over 350 local level committees (LLC), which
have the powers to appoint legal guardians. The orders
of the LLCs are in exercise of statutory powers and
are binding.
Application
from prospective parents can be submitted to the LLCs.
The guardian has to submit inventories about the assets
of the ward within six months of his appointment and
within three months of the close of every financial
year, the experts said.
Source: The Indian Express
Date: 12th February 2003
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