About iRockit
iRockit is an organization which provides Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services for children between the ages of 0-6 years.
The context
According to Census 2011 data there are 164.48 million children in India of 0-6 years of age. The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) tells us that 10% of Indian children have developmental delays or disabilities. This translates into almost 16.5 million children who need immediate intervention to help them move towards the optimal path to growth and development. The efficacy of Early Childhood Intervention has been endorsed by academic studies by Harvard and Brookings Institute among others. In fact, the US views it to as a critical service to the extent that it is federally funded and offered free of cost.
The approach
Traditional developmental services are provided in a piecemeal, siloed fashion where the child works with multiple specialists such as Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Child Psychologists etc. An Early Interventionist cuts across these different disciplines and is able to provide comprehensive support and advice to families about their young child’s growth. In addition to this, the Early Interventionist guides the family on how they can introduce changes in the baby’s day-to-day routine to augment his/her development. The Early Interventionist is also equipped to identify whether a child could benefit from more specific speech-language, occupational, physiotherapy, or medical services.
Our mission
Over time, we want to make Early Intervention services available to children all across India. One of the major challenges in being able to do so is the severe lack of trained Early Interventionists. Recognizing this gap, we will be launching a training programme for ECI in 2018.
Other resources
The website helps parents/family members be informed and prepare appropriately as their child readies for school and beyond once they reach the age of 6. Specialists in different disciplines (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Special Education etc.) are listed on our website after being verified and vetted. We have a legal toolkit for children with disabilities and special needs. The website also acts as a platform for advocacy, information aggregation and dissemination, and showcasing stories of change and hope.