Care for children with special needs was established in 1994 in the city of Nablus. It is a non- governmental non-profit organization. The center specializes in treating speech and language disorders, hearing loss and learning disabilities with aims to fulfil the needs of the local community and the northern West Bank, which are both significantly deprived from such vital health services, particularly Jenin, Tulkarem, Qalqilia, Salfit and the surrounding villages and camps since these areas suffer tremendously from the shortage of hygienic services as compared to Ramallah and Jerusalem.

   The ministry of social affairs and the ministry of health officially accredit this center.

   The idea of ‘setting speech’ – hearing center came into being when a research was carried out to reveal the prevalence of various handicaps amongst the West Bank population. Astonishingly, communicative disorders were rated to be between 12 and 15% of school aged children. Therefore it was necessary for a group of concerned and interested academics to take the initiative of establishing this society.

    CCSNS has since become the most prominent center in the northern West Bank in the field of speech, language pathology and at the vanguard of offering innovative up-and-coming early intervention treatment. CCSNS is well equipped with the latest instruments to give reliable diagnosis and to facilitate the treatment process for all age groups. 

   The society vision and prospect is to turn this center into a well-equipped nationwide facility exclusive for the treatment of speech pathology, audiology, and special education. Furthermore, we are contemplating branching out into other areas of the country such as Tulkarem, Jenin, and Qalqilia.

Brief introduction about the community (Nablus).

Nablus area is considered one of the largest areas of the West Bank in terms of population. Nablus town is considered not only the center for Nablus area but also for the whole north. The total population of Nablus district is estimated to be up to 200.000.

   Compared to the central region, the north has insufficient health and medical services. With the exception of physiotherapy and community based rehabilitation programs, it lacks other intermediate level rehabilitation services such as speech therapy and special education services.

Name of the founders of the society:

Number	Name	Position
1	Sarab Fuad Muti’ Malhas	Chief
2	Dr. Khadijah Mohammed Jarrar	Chief Deputy
3	Dr. Farhan Nasir Abu Leil	Secretary
4	Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Huluw Hanun	Treasurer
5	Mariam Ruhi Ashakhshir	Member
6	Dr. Ghassan Husein Al-Huluw	Member
7	Dr. Maha Fathi AN-Nimr	Member
8	Manal Rashid Al-Masri	Member
9	Nasr Khalil Abu-Khadr	Member

 

The staff of the speech – language therapy center: 

1.     The specialists: The center has two specialists in speech – language pathology who carry out diagnosis, treatment supervision and following up activities.

 

2.     Speech and language therapy assistants:  The duties of these assistants are exclusively to help specialists during work and following up the cases that have already been treated in addition to dispersing information among the public and taking part in carrying out field surveys. This staff consists of three assistants who have passed comprehensive training courses in the field of speech – language pathology who currently are enjoying their experience.

Links:

CCSNS offer services for a large catchments area, therefore it has sought from the beginning to have numerous links and connections that the job entails. Since then, children field survey is one of our major recurrent activities. It was necessary to ask for school access from the ministry of education. In this respect the ministry has been extremely cooperative and has given us free access after they deemed that it necessitates the students’ best interests.

Another direction, which we constantly and mutually exchange information with, is the ministry of social affairs. Nevertheless, CCSNS charges a few symbolic fees for therapeutic sessions, most of the clients can’t afford to pay for the services; therefore we refer them to the Ministry of social affairs who in most cases kindly cover their therapy expenses. There are also connections with the ministry of health; all local hospitals refer cases with stroke and brain injury to our center.

 

Throughout the past 8 yrs CCSNS has created strong and solid ties with different NGOs working in the sector of service, such as Red Crescent, working women union and CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation program). The central location of CCSNS in the northern West Bank in addition to the credibility of its work motivated the community – based rehabilitation program and the community development association for the hearing impaired (CDA) to convey their hearing clinic from Jenin to Nablus, which is more active. CCSNS receives daily referrals from different directions, especially local clinics of pediatricians, neurologists, ear nose throat (ENT) specialists, social workers, teachers and psychologists.