For the first time in Chisinau, mothers with disabled children will be able to leave them during the day at a Daycare Center for children with special needs. The service was launched on Tuesday, August 7, at the Municipal Specialized Center in Chisinau, Info-Prim Neo reports. Svetlana Chifa, head of the municipal division for protection of children’s rights, said that the opening of this center was awaited a long time. The service is meant to prevent the institutionalization of children with disabilities. Mothers will be able to bring them here during the day. “The center will offer a unique help to these mothers so that they are able to find a job and provide for their families”, she said. The official added that although the center could hold only 12 children, it is planned that the service will be expanded. “We’re thinking how to enlarge it in order to contribute to the development of alternative services in Chisinau”, said Svetlana Chifa. Head of the Child, Community, Family Association Liliana Rotaru said that thanks to the support from the Women’s International Club of Moldova it was possible to provide the center with special equipment, which would guarantee high quality services. The center will thus be able to develop the children’s self-care skills and offer the chance to involve them in activities like kinesitherapy, art and music therapies and so on. The center personnel have received specialized training to work with children with special needs. Kinesitherapist Veronica Andronache said that the children brought at the center don’t need the same care as offered in kindergartens, because they have mental or mobility disabilities and require special and individual care. The specialists teach them to become more independent with the help of equipment. The kids will be doing individual and different exercises by playing. The specialists will visit their parents to train and advise them on how to take care of the children and how to continue their activities from the center. The daycare center for children with special needs was opened by the municipal division for protection of children’s rights and the Child, Community, Family Association in Moldova, in partnership with the UK-based Hope&Homes for Children and with the support of the Women’s International Club of Moldova.