The 3rd Asia-Pacific CBR Congress

CBR in Thailand:
Collaboration with Local Administrative Organization for Promoting Quality of Life of Children with Disabilities

Somchai Rungsilp,
Committee Member, Foundation for Children with Disabilities

Background of CBR in Thailand

Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) approach has started from health aspect in Thailand at the beginning stage which was around 30 years ago. The focus area at that time was rehabilitation service implemented by the main actors who were health volunteers, nurses and health officers working at sub-district health offices and villages.

Then the CBR has been developed and implemented by more different partners including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), some agencies under ministry of education, and ministry of social development and human security.

Since the power was shifted to the disable people organization, and parent group of children with disabilities, some of these self-help groups and self-help organizations are implementing CBR activities. However today in Thailand, the turning point is many Sub-district Administrative Organizations (SAOs) are playing the key roles on implementing of CBR in sub-district level.

Turning Point

Thailand national administrative structure is governing by 76 Provinces, and about 800 districts, 7,000 sub-districts, and 70,000 villages.

At SAO level, there is general election every 4 years. There are 3 main departments which are governing unit, council and administration. The budget of the SAO comes from central government as well as local tax in their own sub-district. SAO is the autonomous organization in community level.

Self-Help Groups

The strategy of Foundation for Children with Disabilities (FCD) is working with SAOs to promote CBR and self-help groups which are parents groups of children with disabilities. There are various kinds of activities implemented in self-help groups of parents of children with disabilities which include early intervention, rehabilitation and therapy for children with disabilities, learning activities for parents as well as income generation program for the parents.

Holistic CBR program: collaboration between SAOs, Self-help groups and NGOs (Experiences of FCD.)

Goal

Persons with Disabilities/ Children with Disabilities have good quality of life, equal rights and dignity as other people in community

Indicators

There are 3 main indicators according to FCD’s experiences

Individual person/ child with disability level
Self-help Groups level
Community level

- Indicators for Individual person/ child with disabilities

Be able to access rehabilitation and development program effectively
Be able to live independently in family and community

- Indicators for Self-help Groups

Be strong and able to manage the project
Be able to mobilize the internal and external resources

- Indicators for Community

Be able to manage the project and activities
Be able to mobilize internal and external resources
Has right attitude toward persons with disabilities

Process of Implementation to promote collaboration among SAOs,

Self-Help Groups and NGOs

1) Survey in order to get the actual situation of disability at the community level

2) Planning and delegation of works among all stakeholders

3) Implementing according to the plan

4) Strengthening self-help groups which include self-help group of persons with disabilities and self-help groups of parents of children with disabilities

5) Evaluation of the project and activities

6) Phasing out of the external organizations which means NGOs

Factors of success

Awareness of the community and persons/ children with disabilities
Participation of the community and persons/ children with disabilities
Knowledge, skills of the community and family of persons/ children with disabilities
Co-ordination of stakeholders and the resources in order to implement the activities effectively
Support by government and civil society

Future Direction

International Networks

The CBR implementers should link in different level of networks include Global, Asia-Pacific, ASEAN and national networks

National

To promote the policy of CBR as well as the concept of Social Protection at national level

Community

To strengthen Local Administration Organizations, persons with disabilities and parents groups of children with disabilities to be main organizers of CBR

Roles of ASEAN CBR Network

ASEAN CBR Network could play these following roles:

Share of Lesson Learned among all stakeholders of CBR in all levels (international, national and community)
Raising awareness of the society in all level (international, national and community)
Working with ASEAN and National Mechanisms