Abhishek Bachchan visits Dubai Autism Center

Notes and media contacts

About the Dubai Autism Centre (DAC)
The Dubai Autism Centre (DAC) is a non-profit organization providing information, support, advice and training to professionals and parents of children with Autism. Founded in November 2001 with the issuance of a decree from H.H. Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the DAC is focused on providing various services for children with Autism and their families. The Centre also works toward facilitating a better community understanding of autism, including early diagnosis and treatment methodology.

In January 2003, the Centre started up a school in a villa in Jumeira, with 16 students. Today the school is located in a large villa in Al Diyafa Road and houses 42 students, aged 4 - 18 years. Each class has four students and two teachers, of whom one is Arabic-speaking. Students from Zayed University and Al Ain University also come to the Centre for internship opportunities.

The school provides not only conventional academic tuition, but also speech-, occupational-, music- and play-therapy. A team of clinical psychologists and therapists provides full assessment and diagnosis. Currently the school is functioning at full capacity including 22 teachers, 10 therapists and 10 staff in management, who are supporting 43 students with a waiting list of approx 86 students. DAC is fundraising for a larger premises and increased teaching staff to meet the demand for specialist care.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological developmental disorder. ASD usually affects the person's verbal and social communication skills. The incidence of Autism is increasing world wide with a 400% rise in the diagnosis of Autism in the last decade. One out of every 146 children will be affected by ASD.

Our mission is to alleviate the suffering of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families through our educational (therapy's) programs and integrate them into the community through our community awareness projects.

for more details please contact:
Yousef Ahmed Al Dhafer
Project Manager
Tel: + 971 4 3986862 (Ext: 108)
Fax: + 971 4 3988262
Mob:+ 971 50 8436608
P.O. Box: 103737 Dubai, UAE