On Aug 23, Zhou Changkui, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and chairperson of the Board of Executive Directors of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), attended the educational event of the 8th Disability Prevention Day while inspecting disability prevention work in Beijing.
Zhou visited Beijing Jianxiang School, where he observed various rehabilitation programs for children with autism, including sports activities, parent-child group sessions, special aesthetic education, and choir rehearsals. He also attended a presentation on the school’s specialized courses and teaching methods, followed by discussions with special education teachers and parents of autistic children.
At the Four Seasons Science Innovation Center in Zhongguancun Science City, Zhou heard about the disability prevention initiatives introduced in Beijing, particularly Haidian district, and explored exhibits highlighting disability prevention efforts and advancements in assistive technologies. He also attended the launch ceremony for the initiative of autistic children care promotion, co-organized by the CDPF, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Health Commission, National Healthcare Security Administration, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and the All-China Women’s Federation.
During the inspection, Zhou stressed the importance of implementing the five-year national disability prevention action plan to effectively control the onset and progression of disabilities. Zhou also called for the active promotion of technological and institutional innovations in disability prevention to safeguard public health, and for vigorous efforts in disability prevention education to raise awareness across society, fostering an atmosphere where everyone participates in and supports disability prevention.
Zhou underscored that all parties involved must make concerted efforts to enhance the sense of gain of children with autism and their families and address key challenges in autism care services across various sectors. He urged stakeholders to ensure the implementation of policies related to autism screening and intervention services, rehabilitation assistance for children with disabilities, and the enhancement of special education, as well as relevant social insurance and assistance programs. More needs to be done to expand service resources, strengthen service capacity, improve the integrated service mechanism for medical care, rehabilitation, and education, enhance support for families of autistic children, advance the research and application of relevant technologies, foster close coordination among departments, and mobilize public resources to jointly ensure the effective organization and implementation of the promotion initiative, he noted.
Ma Jun, vice-mayor of Beijing, Hu Xiangyang, member of the Leading Party Members Group and vice-chairperson of the Board of Executive Directors of the CDPF, along with officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Health Commission, National Healthcare Security Administration, Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the All-China Women’s Federation, and relevant departments of the Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation and Haidian district, also attended the event.